


Millie and the King

by NerdWItch



Series: Castaways [4]
Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Eventual Relationships, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Mirkwood, Modern Girl in Middle Earth, POV Thranduil, Post-Lord of the Rings, Post-War, Spoilers for The Hobbit, Spoilers for The Silmarillion, The Hobbit/The Lord of the Rings Fusion, The Lord of the Rings References, Violence, World War II
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-05
Updated: 2020-12-06
Packaged: 2021-03-05 06:20:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 24
Words: 62,308
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25079773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NerdWItch/pseuds/NerdWItch
Summary: Millicent Thomas knew her life was over the moment she saw the German bomber plane overhead. All she ever wanted to do was help people and it seemed to be God’s wish that she die doing her job. Which is why, upon opening her eyes, Millicent was surprised to find herself surrounded by tall, long-haired and angry warriors with sharp arrows aimed at her.Had she died after all or had the Germans won the war and taken her prisoner? Why did they have pointy ears and sound vaguely welsh? And what the hell kind of a name was Thranduil anyway?(Eventual ThranduilxOC)
Relationships: ThranduilxOC
Series: Castaways [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1589563
Comments: 46
Kudos: 129





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> **A/N:** I’m back with another fic! Actually, I’ll be uploading two fics kind of at the same time. This sort of takes place within the “Castaways” universe but follows a completely different story. This idea came to me when I played around with the question “What did Thranduil do during War of the Ring?” and then Millie started demanding I tell her story, so here we are.

**Chapter One**

_ Millie  _

_ Everyone has a story to tell. Sometimes they’re sad but with happy endings. Sometimes they’re scary but filled with hope. My story? My story begins with my ending and how I found myself in the realm of the woodland king.  _

* * *

_ London, 1940  _

I am losing him. 

I can tell because they all have the same look in their eyes, just moments before their hearts stop beating. After that, it’s only a few seconds before the light in their eyes fades and they’re gone from this world. I always make sure to find out their names because that way, they stay real to me. So many have already lost their lives in this awful war. I often wonder how many of them are nameless. How many of them live in fear of being forgotten, despite their remarkable service to this country. 

I never forget them. It is a promise I made myself when I took this job. I keep all their names written down in my journal that I carry with me.

His name was Matthew, only a few years younger than myself. Short, blonde hair and innocent blue eyes. The wound punctured his lungs and saving him was almost impossible. Even though we know it’s impossible, we still try. My heart always aches the most for the young ones. They sacrifice so much for us, only to leave us without knowing whether or not it was worth it in the end. 

“Time of death, 8.45PM.” Dr MacArthur says with a heavy tiredness in his voice that I’ve heard all too often lately. “Why don’t you go home for the night, Millicent? You’ve been here longer than I have.” 

“I’m happy to stay longer.” I protest but MacArthur gestures with his hand, as if to shut me up before I say anything else. I can take a hint and when I sit down to change shoes, I can feel how rough and sore they are. Perhaps, if I’m lucky there might still be some hot water left in the boilers and I can soak my feet while enjoying a nice cup of tea. I stand up, and put on my blue coat, there’s a mirror just next to the coathanger and for the first time all day, I notice circles under my eyes and how frizzy my short blonde hair is. I just didn’t have enough time this morning to properly use the hair curlers but that’s just how it goes sometimes. 

“Ah, Miss Thomas. Heading home for the evening, I see?” 

I slightly startle as the sound of Mr Grayham’s voice reaches my ears and when I look in the mirror, I see him behind me. For as long as I have been working at this hospital, Mr Grayham has been its night porter, making sure everything is safe and sound as there is usually less staff available in the evening. He’s a sweet old man with a warm, inviting smile. Even though we have only known each other for a few months, he feels like an old family member who has been there. Strange really, how some connections we make with people are so instant that we never doubt them. 

“Yes, I can’t wait to get some food in me and crawl into bed.” I reply as my stomach makes a demanding growling noise. Clearly, I’ve been neglecting my own hunger but sometimes, that’s just how the job goes. 

“I noticed you wrote down some new names in that book of yours.” Mr Grayham points out with a nod to the satchel bag I carry over my shoulder. “What do you do with their names, I wonder? Do you write them down for safekeeping or do you create something with them?” 

Mr Grayham’s question is filled with genuine curiosity and I ponder my answer carefully for a while. These evening chats have become a routine and something I look forward to at the end of a long day. There’s a lot of talking involved in my job because oftentimes, the soldiers who come are frightened and lonely. They need someone who can assure them they will be looked after and that everything will be fine, even when we know it won’t. 

“Sometimes, I listen to their stories and then I write them down.” I explain “There’s always a few missing pieces so I have to guess and make additions. It doesn’t always feel right though, I mean they’re not really my stories to tell.”

“Well perhaps they are.” Mr Grayham says “You have taken it upon yourself to make certain that their legacy is passed on and remembered. That itself is a very noble quest, but I do wonder one thing, Miss Thomas.” 

“What’s that then?” 

“What about  _ your  _ story? Do you write that down as well?” 

For some reason I chuckle, but there is something serious about Mr Grayham’s voice when he asks this question. I’m certainly no author and writing down the stories of these poor soldiers is something I do because it also helps me cope with everything that’s happening. 

“I don’t have a story to tell, Mr Grayham.” I chuckle to shake off the uneasiness “Certainly not one that’s worth telling at any rate.” 

“Oh, everyone has a story to tell, my dear.” says the old man gently “Perhaps yours simply hasn't begun yet.” 

No matter how bleak things might seem or how tired we all are, Mr Grayham always has a smile on his face and there’s always a slight hint of mischief in his eyes. He remains a bit of a mystery to us all really, with his grey hair and beard. Everytime he looks at me, I feel the urge to look away even though he’s a perfectly lovely and charming old man. Even so, sometimes I can’t help but to feel like when he looks at me, he can really see me. I glance at my wristwatch and realise it’s getting late. With everything going on, nobody wants to stay out longer than they need to. 

“Be careful out there, Miss Thomas.” Mr Grayham warns me, “There is change in the air tonight.” 

“Goodnight, Mr Grayham.” I say and wave to the old man. “Until next time.” 

“Yes...yes indeed, child.” 

I tuck my hands into my coat pockets and shake my head. Mr Grayham’s strangeness is nothing new, but for some reason, it makes me feel uneasy. My flat is a brisk twenty minute walk from the hospital and tonight, I’m more eager than usual to get back inside the warmth. Mr Grayham was right about one thing, something in the air feels different and it isn’t just the chill of the evening wind biting into my skin. At first, I shake it off as paranoia and tiredness from a long day, but as I walk a few more paces I catch a glimpse of a bright light in the corner of my eyes, soon followed by the sound of airplane engines. My heart immediately begins to skip a few beats and then I hear the wailing of the siren. We’ve known this day might be coming but nothing has been able to prepare us for the reality of an actual attack. 

The bombings begin with a shower of slow-burning incendiaries. Almost instantly the sky fills up with fire and smoke as more bombs keep falling. My survival instincts kick in and I just keep running towards my home, and all I can hear around me around people screaming. I keep running while I hold my breath, but my fear gets the better of me and makes me catch my foot on a cobblestone. I cry out in pain as I fall over and I know immediately I’ve sprained my food. I try to push myself up but it’s too painful. I call out for help but people are too busy saving themselves. I’ll never forget the noise of the bombs as gravity pulled them closer towards the ground. 

I’ll never forget that bright, white light and how in that moment, I knew it was over. 

* * *

The first strange thing I notice when I regain consciousness is that I’m lying on something soft and damp. A somewhat musky smell penetrates my nostrils and my hands grab hold of what I realise is moss. There’s no moss in the middle of London? It takes a while before I’m physically capable of opening my eyes and when I find the strength to do so, my vision is blurry. I can just about make out several tall moving shapes around me and I think they’re people. That’s when it truly strikes me that by some miracle, I’m not dead. I am alive. I don’t know how it’s possible but I know it’s no dream. I can hear whispering and at first, I wonder if it’s german because it’s not a language I understand, but it’s also not like any German accent I’ve ever heard. Eventually, my blurred vision clears and I’m able to take a proper look around me. The second strange thing I notice is that I’m in a forest, but it’s unlike any forest I have ever seen. I can’t quite explain what makes it so different, but it’s darker here and it just feels a bit off. 

“Ah, so she lives.” 

The voice that speaks to me is also dark. It’s filled with impatience and almost annoyance over my being here. I tilt my head upwards to get a closer look at who the voice belongs to, and that’s, when I notice the third strange thing. I’m not alone. I’m lying in a forest, surrounded by tall men, with very long hair. They’re all dressed in strange clothes and to make things more interesting, they have weapons aimed at me. Some of them are holding bow and arrow while some of them are carrying actual swords. If they are Germans, they must be a different branch of the army. One of them, who has incredibly long, dark brown hair to his waist, broad shoulders and….pointy ears, walk up to me. He puts his sword away and bends down in front of him. 

“Let us keep this simple, shall we?” he says with a smirk “Who are you and how did you come to be in our land?” 

“Uh….m-my name is Millicent Thomas.” I stutter, “I honestly don’t know how to answer that second question. One minute I was in London and there was a bomb falling on my head and next thing I know I wake up here.”   


“London? I have never heard of such a place. Is it a kingdom of man?” 

“Well...it’s the United Kingdom…so, I suppose so?”

I can tell the stranger in front of me is just as confused as I am. He’s studying me almost as if he is trying to figure out if I’m lying or not. Maybe they think I’m some sort of spy? 

“I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be rude,” I say carefully, not wanting to risk actual death “But...who are you and where am I?”   


“Well, my lady, that I can answer for you. My name is Halath and I am Captain of the Mirkwood Guard. You are in Woodland Realm of Mirkwood - home of the elven King Thranduil.” 

Elves. Mirkwood. Kings. 

My head is spinning and I begin to feel an uneasy sensation that begins in my stomach and then travels up to my throat. I know I’m going to be sick. Before I can stop myself, I bend over and throw up on Halath’s boots. A dizziness comes over me and the last thing I remember before I pass out is Halath saying something in that strange language. 

**_To be continued…._ ** **_  
_ **


	2. Thranduil's Hardships

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Thranduil is particularly grumpy.....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Disclaimer:** Professor Tolkien owns Middle-Earth and all the canon characters. Peter Jackson owns the movie adaptations. Any original names or characters that you might not recognise are probably mine. As is Millie. 
> 
> **A/N:** For those of you following the other stories in my “Castaways” series, don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten about Maggie and CO. Millie is just kind of shouting at me, asking me to tell her story. I’m alternating the chapters so this one will be from Thranduil’s POV but they’ll be written in Third Person, rather than Millie’s first person POV. This is going to be a slow burn, because I’m trying to teach myself how to develop new characters. This vaguely takes place in the same AU as my other fics, so there may be references to some other characters. On that note, if you are following “All Bonds of Fellowship”, don’t fret, I’m planning on uploadthe next chapter very soon. 
> 
> Finally, I’m basing this version of Thranduil on Lee Pace’s rather excellent portrayal of our grumpy woodland king. I honestly have no idea where I’m going with this fic, so if you have ideas or suggestions of things you’d like to see, please do let me know.  
> That is enough rambling from me, please feel free to let me know in the comments/reviews. 
> 
> Enjoy!

**Chapter Two**

_ Thranduil’s hardships  _

  
  


Thranduil was grumpy.

Not that he wasn’t often grumpy, but even more so than usual these days. Recently, the King of the Woodland Realm had taken to locking himself in his study, which was really more akin to a library. It was located at the end of a long corridor and very few people dared venturing there, except by the king’s permission. And it was indeed extremely rare that Thranduil ever gave anyone permission to enter his private sphere. Nobody who valued their life dared bothering the king, except the servants who would bring him food and drink. Once upon a time, the Mirkwood Palace was filled with life and great parties would be hosted. Elves from across Middle-Earth would attend and sometimes even me. Music, laughter and dancing echoed through the palace and it was a happy place. 

For some time after his father’s death, Thranduil kept up his traditions as a way of honoring him. The birth of Legolas gave him and his wife even more reasons to celebrate and for a few precious centuries, their family was happy. Then came the battle that changed everything, and his wife died at the hands of their enemies. Something in Thranduil also died that day and never revived. 

The king couldn’t remember the last time he had felt genuine joy or smiled. In fact, as far as he was concerned, those emotions were useless and he didn’t need them to be king. His people respected him regardless and he had certainly been nothing but a fair ruler to them. It wasn’t his fault that the Valar for some reason decided to punish him. Well, it wasn’t like he needed their forgiveness or validation and he refused to seek it. 

Pride is a disease, Elrond once said and perhaps once upon a time, Thranduil would have listened to his old friend. Things were different now though and the two weren’t as close as they once had been. 

Thranduil was no fool. He knew what people were saying about him. They thought him a cold and cruel king who showed neither love nor mercy. As far as he was concerned, he didn’t need either. Elrond was a fair ruler in his own way, but Thranduil had always thought that the Lord of Imladris was far too kind and lenient. In their youth though, it was often Elrond who sought Thranduil’s counsel when it came to matters of the heart. He recalled times when they would climb up to the top of the tree crowns of the Greenwood and watch the starlit skies at night. Life had been simpler then. 

Nowadays, Thranduil was lucky if Elrond bothered replying to his letter within a month. Love had softened his friend’s heart and not entirely for the better. He didn’t say these things to Elrond’s face of course, he wasn’t stupid. Still, neither was Elrond and no doubt he was well-aware of Thranduil’s feelings regarding his choice of partner. 

Love. 

Love was the real disease. 

It could turn any sensible elf, man or even dwarf to a complete fool who completely lacked judgement. 

This month, specifically in a fortnight’s time, marked a millennia since the death of his precious wife. Contrary to popular belief, time did not heal all wounds. No matter how much time passed, Thranduil missed his wife and the more he missed her, the more his heart hardened. Even though she was no longer with them, he still saw a lot of her in his son. 

These days though, Legolas hardly looked Thranduil in the eyes. Things had never been quite the same between them ever since the incident with the dwarves. 

Rather foolishly, Thranduil assumed that Legolas would make the effort to return home. Since childhood, this month of mourning his mother’s death was something that bonded them. Over the years though, Legolas had become more distant and to say that their relationship was difficult was a great understatement. 

On that particular evening, Thranduil sat at his desk, writing down a response to one of Elrond’s letters. Across the room, the dancing flames of the fire warmed up the otherwise cold room. It was autumn and while this season was usually pleasant, it was going to get much colder in the weeks to come. Winter in Mirkwood was certainly a season to behold with one’s own eyes, but it was also known for being brutally cold. Thranduil had always liked the crackling sound the fire and ever since a child it had calmed him down. 

Tap! Tap! Tap! 

Three loud knocks on the large oak door snapped the king out of his thoughts. He exhaled a frustrated sigh and composed himself. A king showed no signs of weakness. 

“Leave.” 

At first, Thranduil thought he could happily return to dipping his quill into the pot of ink next to him. A one letter word was all it usually took to be left alone, but not this time. 

“ _ Hir-nin  _ Thranduil, your presence is required.” came Hallath’s voice outside the door. 

Since Tauriel’s departure after her betrothal to Prince Kili, Thranduil had found himself in need of appointing a new captain to his guard. Hallath was an eager young Silvan elf who had proven himself a good warrior and loyal to the crown. As a young elfling, he’d often followed Legolas around and looked up to him as though he were a brother. These days, Legolas spent more time with humans and dwarves rather than his own kin. 

“Did I stutter or are you deaf?” Thranduil asked sharply. 

“I am neither but I’m afraid this is rather urgent, my lord, and it cannot wait.” Hallath replied. By now, other people would have shown their fear with a slightly shake voice, by the young Captain’s voice remained resolute. 

“What could possibly be so important that it requires you to disturb me in my month of mourning?” Thranduil wondered

“A girl, my lord. A human girl.” Hallath explained “She was found unconscious in our kingdom.”

A girl? Had he heard that right? It was rare that people ever ventured into Mirkwood and any humans in the area stayed in Dale, where they were under protection of the dwarves who resided in Erebor. 

“Why did you bring her here?” Thranduil asked 

  
“There is something strange about her.” Hallath said, the tone in his voice had changed now and he did sound a little frightened. “I do not think she belongs here.” 

A bit of ink accidentally smudged Thranduil’s intricate calligraphy on the letter in front of him and the elf-lord cursed in Sindarin as he wiped ink off his finger.  _ Strange,  _ he thought. In thousands of years, Thranduil’s hand had never faltered or so much as trembled while he was writing. An uneasy feeling stirred within the pit of his stomach and it was enough for him to rise from his seat and see what was going on. 

* * *

Hallath was right. 

She was a strange girl and if Thranduil knew one thing, it was that strange humans who found their way to his kingdom seldom brought good things with them. 

At a glance, the elvenking could tell she was young. Perhaps twenty human years and merely a child to the eyes of an elf. The girl’s blonde hair was carried in a strange u-shape, which curved up towards her ears and it parted to the left side. Her eyes were emerald green, which Thranduil had rarely ever seen in humans before. She wore a strange dark blue dress with short arms and seemed to have a sort of stitched red cross on its left side. A rather impressive cut on her forehead had managed to graze one of her eyebrows and only just missed her eyes. Thranduil guessed that she must have either fallen and landed on something very sharp or somebody had tried to slice her with a blade, but the latter seemed rather unlikely. 

Thranduil watched her from the top of the steps for a while and was fascinated by how quiet she was. Normally when people found themselves in a dungeon, their instincts would be to call out for help. Yet, this strange human girl who had seemingly wandered into his kingdom said nothing. Even though she didn’t notice it herself, Thranduil saw the fear in her eyes as he walked down the steps leading down to his dungeons. 

“My Captain tells me that you were found just by the borders of my realm.” Thranduil said calmly as he walked up to the dungeon. “You are human, but you do not look as though you belong in these parts. Tell me, how did you come to be in my kingdom?” 

At first, she stayed silent as if she was pondering how to explain herself. Thranduil saw how her eyes seemed to study the details of the prison she was locked in. It was an expression of curiosity, as if she was trying to understand where she was. 

“I already told your Captain that I don’t know how I got here or what this place even is.” she said sharply. 

Thranduil raised an eyebrow and merely crossed his eyes. He was intrigued now. 

“What is your name?” he asked, plain and simple. 

“Millicent Thomas. I’m a nurse from London.”she replied “I was walking home from the hospital where I work in the middle of an air raid. I thought I’d died, but I somehow woke up here.” 

Milliecent. What a strange name. 

“Air raid?” Hallath asked “What is an air raid? I have never heard of such a thing.”   
  
“You’re telling me you’re not Germans?” 

The tone in Millicent’s voice was one of genuine surprise. Thranduil did not know who these Germans were, but judging by the girl’s reaction and her tense body language, they were not her allies. There were many peoples of Middle-Earth and small villages within kingdoms, but throughout his long lives, he had never heard of Germans. 

“No, we are elves.” he explained “I am King Thranduil of Mirkwood and you, Millicent Thomas are in my palace.” 

Once again, something changed in Millicent’s expression and this time, it was disbelief. Then, to both Thranduil and Hallath’s surprise, she burst out laughing. After a few moments, Millicent caught her breath and composed herself, but the disbelief was still there. 

“My head must have taken a real beating when I fell over,” she said “Don’t be daft! Elves don’t exist. They’re just fairy stories. Where am I really? If I’m not a war prisoner, then how on Earth did I get from London to….Mirkwood?” 

Thranduil didn’t like it. That uneasy feeling stirring in his gut. How could somebody not believe in the existence of elves when the proof was right in front of them. Elves were the first people to be granted life by the Valar themselves. Not liking elves was one thing, but not believing them was unheard of. 

“What shall we do with her, my lord?” Hallath asked, keeping a steady hand on his sword. He also felt uneasy. 

“Keep her there.” Thranduil replied “Until she decides to speak the truth.” 

No. Thranduil was having none of it. This girl, whoever she was, was blatantly lying. He couldn’t quite figure out the reasoning behind it but that was unimportant. So, upon deciding that he’d heard enough, the elvenking simply turned on his heels to walk away when Millicent spoke again. 

“You’re just going to let me stay here?” Millie asked “In this prison? I haven’t even done anything! I don’t know why I’m here! You cannot keep me here against my will.” 

“As it so happens, I can, because I am the king.” Thranduil replied “And nobody tells me what I can or cannot do in my kingdom.”    
  
“You’re telling me you’re not German, but you’re just as bad as they are.” 

Despite not knowing who these Germans were, Thranduil knew those words were meant to sting and strangely, they did. Instead of turning around, he kept his head straight and walked back upstairs, with Hallath following suit. Upon returning to the throne room, Thranduil turned to his captain, who above all looked puzzled. 

“What shall we do with her, my lord?” Hallath asked “Should we really just keep her here?” 

“Yes, until she tells us what she’s really doing here.” Thranduil replied “There is a strange air about that girl, which I do not trust.” 

“What if she is telling the truth?”

“Then keep her there anyway. Her fate is no concern of mine.” 

If Thranduil only knew then, how wrong he was. 

**_To be continued…_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **_There we go! Another rather short chapter, but I really just wanted to get a feel of Thranduil’s character because writing him is really difficult. Did I do him justice?_ **


	3. Conversations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Millie comes to terms with her new reality....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Hello again! My creativity is back and I have a couple of days to update all the fics I’m working on before I get started on my next work-project. Thank you so much for all the comments/reviews/kudos/follows, I really appreciate it. I’m glad to see you guys are curious about following Millie’s story. I have no idea what will unfold so it’s a surprise for me as well. Just to clarify, this is set within in my “Castaways” series, which follows the story of two siblings who end up in Middle-Earth during the Hobbit. You can read this as a total standalone fic because this is Millie’s story and not theirs, but they may make a cameo appearance later on in this fic. It’s a good story (if I do say so myself) and if you want to check out, you can find it in my profile.
> 
> I’ve never really written anything that is a purposely slow burn before, so if y'all have any advice to throw them my way. I’m also experimenting whether or not I want to write in past tense or present tense, so do let me know what you prefer. As I mentioned before, I’m basing my version of Thranduil on Lee Pace’s incredible portrayal of him in the Hobbit movies. This AU is a mix between movie and book-verse. That said, enough rambling, let’s see what Millie gets up to. 

**Chapter Three**

_ Conversations  _

  
  


I didn’t sleep at all that first night. 

There were too many strange noises whose source I couldn’t locate and it was cold. My flat in London was usually cold, and the chill evening wind somehow always managed to slip in through the window. At least there, I could wrap myself in a bathrobe, fill up my hot water bottle and curl into my bed. This prison and this otherworldly kingdom carved out of wood was so vast and almost desolate. Their king was even colder than the air that filled these vast halls. 

No matter how much I tried, there was no denying that these….elves were not Germans. I wasn’t in Britain anymore and I certainly wasn’t in London. I had never even heard of Mirkwood until the Captain of the guard first mentioned it. 

I was ashamed to admit it, but I desperately hoped that these elves were just Germans playing some foul trick as a way to confuse me. Perhaps they were trying to scare me into giving away information or something else that would help them win the war. Unfortunately, something deep inside me knew that that simply wasn’t the case and that’s what truly frightened me. 

King Thranduil was afraid as well but not of the Germans. He was afraid of me. 

I had to hand it to him, he was a great actor and no doubt the people who worked for him both feared and respected him. Over the past year working at the Royal Chelsea Hospital, I’d seen so many come back from the trenches, only to meet their ends in our hospital beds. They all shared the same frightened look in their eyes. One of pain, lost hope and despair. When Thranduil’s eyes met mine, I saw the same expression in his icy blue eyes just before he looked away. 

Something haunted him. Whatever it was had happened long ago and he still carried the pain with him. If I were to guess, perhaps he’d lost someone close to him and his way of handling it was to shut everyone out. I’d seen it many times before, particularly in soldiers who struggled to cope with the aftermath of war. All those terrible atrocities they witnessed and were forced to commit themselves in the battlefield. Worst of all, seeing their friends die right in front of them and sometimes while holding them in their arms as they bled to death. Those things never left you and haunted you for the rest of your life. While working night shifts at the hospital, I’d heard young boys desperately cry out for their mother in the middle of the night, as the fever devoured them. By the time their families did come to visit, they were merely empty shells of the men they once were. 

Some of the soldiers whose injuries weren’t so fatal, would often tell me stories of what happened when they left Britain. How painful it was to say goodbye to their families and loved ones. 

Thranduil was suffering, that much I knew for certain. I just didn’t know what the cause behind his pain was and I had a feeling he wasn’t one to share his feelings. 

It was impossible to tell what time of day it was in the palace and especially not in the dark dungeons. Eventually though, my eyelids began to feel heavy and I eventually allowed myself to fall into a deep, if brief sleep. 

It was a loud tap against the metal bars of my cell that woke me up. My eyes were still heavy and my body ached from the uncomfortable floor. I could feel the muscles of my back and my arms protesting loudly as I stifled a yawn. At first, a part of me thought that perhaps I would wake up back in my bed in Shoreditch. It would be early morning, with the sun shining through my kitchen windows. I would put on my soft and comfortable slippers and put on the kettle. Mrs Henry across the road would say good morning through her own windows. I’d walk to work and it would just be another day. None of this would have happened and I would still be at home. Unfortunately, everything that happened yesterday wasn’t a dream and I was still in Mirkwood. 

Instead, I woke up to Hallath standing in front of the cell with a bowl in his hand and a wooden mug in the other. His eyes were wary as he watched me get up on unsteady feet, my stomach made an angry growling noise as I smelled hot food. Once I was standing up, albeit still a little groggy from sleep, I hesitated. My body craved some form of sustenance, but in case I was wrong and this was some kind of German prison, could I really trust their food? Would I die of poisoning? 

“It is alright, you can eat the food.” Hallath said, as if he’d read my mind. “You are weak and need your strength.” 

“Why are you helping me?” I asked, perhaps a bit more defensively than I’d planned “Thranduil made it clear he doesn’t care what happens to me.” 

“Thranduil may be king of Mirkwood but I am the Captain of the Guard and it is I who decides what happens to the prisoners.” 

Hallath slid the bowl of what I assumed was some kind of porridge through the bars. I inhaled the sweet scent of the porridge, which seemed to contain a mix of milk and herbs that reminded me of cinnamon. I dipped my finger in the bowl and once I decided it was probably safe, it took me seconds before I devoured the food. I’d eaten a lot of porridge in my days, because it was a cheap and sustainable food that kept you full for a long time. This was unlike anything I’d eaten and despite being so simple, it was flavoursome and almost magical. Hallath raised his eyebrows with a surprised expression as he passed me that warm cup of herbal tea. Almost immediately, I felt more relaxed even though my senses were still very much alert. 

“Who has he lost?” I asked, after a moment’s silence “The king, I mean?” 

Hallath was clearly surprised by this question and studied me carefully for a few moments. I could tell he was loyal to Thranduil and became immediately defensive of his superior. 

“What makes you think he has lost anyone?” Hallath wondered 

“It’s just….he’s so distant.” I replied “His eyes show both sadness and fear.” 

“How can you possibly know such a thing? Are you a witch?” 

I’d been called many an insult in my days, but never a witch. When my eyes met Hallath’s, his face was dead serious and I began to think he didn’t mean it as an insult at all, but rather a genuine question. 

“No, no I’m a nurse, I help heal people who are sick.” I explained “You see, my country is at war and it’s my job to help look after the wounded soldiers who return home.” 

“And you are fighting these...Germans you mentioned.” Hallath recalled “What are they? Men? Orcs? Dwarves?” 

I could help but feel that the more questions I answered, the more bizarre this conversation would get. I didn’t know anything about dwarves or orcs so I wasn’t sure how to respond. Of course I had read fairy stories as a child, but that’s all they were. Fairy Tales. Everyone knew these creatures didn’t exist. 

“We don’t have anything like that where I’m from.” I said quietly. “No orcs and no dwarves. You’re the first elves I’ve ever met.” 

Slowly, I was beginning to accept the inevitable - that I was very far away from home. Maybe that German bomb had fallen on me when I stumbled and I was dead. Maybe this place was some sort of afterlife? That would certainly give them something to talk about back home, if they ever found out. This definitely wasn’t any version of heaven I’d ever heard or read about as a child. Not that I believed in such a place anyway. 

“What is this place?” I asked “You said this kingdom was called Mirkwood, but if there’s one kingdom there’s usually more kingdoms nearby, or at least a large nation it’s a part of. So, what is this place?” 

“This place is called Arda,” Hallath said plainly “But in the common tongue we call it Middle-Earth.”

I was dumbfounded. Never in my life had I heard the name Middle-Earth and it certainly wasn’t a country I was aware existed. Hallath spoke about orcs and witches as if they were as real as people. If magic was a real thing then why was there so much suffering and death? It didn’t make any sense to me and I could feel a headache coming on. 

“Are you going to throw up again?” Hallath asked and took a step back, no doubt to protect his precious boots. “If so, I would like a warning this time.” 

“No..it’s just…..” I stuttered “I’m a long way from home.”   


“What is your home called?” 

This time, the captain’s voice was one filled with curiosity rather than fear. 

“I’m from London, the capital of England which is a country on Earth.” I replied “Just earth, no middle or bottom or….anything.”

“How did you know about Thranduil’s loss?” Hallath wondered “You met him only briefly yesterday.” 

“People are easy to read.” I said “When they’re sad, angry or in pain they way the act changes and usually you can see it in their eyes. I’ve spent a lot of time around wounded soldiers who have suffered great losses. Thranduil has the same body language and that same distant look in his eyes.” 

“It is a gift.” Hallath said “Being able to read people in such a way.” 

“That’s what Mr Grayham believes. He thinks becoming a nurse is my calling but I’m not sure I believe in that.”

Once again, the dark haired elf raised an eyebrow.    
  
“Who is Mr Grayham?” he asked    


“Oh, he’s a sweet old man who works at my hospital. He was the last person I spoke to before I….”

As the words trailed off, a strange thought came to me. Before I left work on the night of the air raid, Mr Grayham had warned me about it. The old man had told me to be careful because there was change in the air and he was right. That night, an uneasy chill had trickled up my spine as I left the hospital after that conversation. Now, that same chill made itself known in that prison cell. Surely, it was daft to even consider something so bizarre. How could an old man in London have known that I would somehow end up in this place. This Middle-Earth. 

“You are a strange girl, Millicent Thomas.” Hallath said, “Strange, but, I think, no threat to us.”   


“What happens to me now?” I asked “I can’t go home because…..I don’t know how.” 

Hallath’s face changed again and this time, I saw empathy in his eyes. For the first time since our first meeting, I wasn’t afraid. At least of him. 

“I know not what will happen. This is new and strange for all of us.” Hallath explained “I will speak with the king and explain this unique situation, but as you have already noticed yourself, the king is not an easy person and once he has made up his mind, few people can change it.”

“Is going to just let me die here?” I asked quietly and realised how my lips were trembling. The worst part of it all was that Hallath didn’t answer my question. Instead, he just exhaled a deep breath and walked off, once again leaving me alone in the cold cell. 

**To be continued…**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **This was a shorter chapter but I wanted to explore Millie’s thoughts and what she thinks about being trapped in Mirkwood. I also know there’s a lot of dialogue in this one but I’m going to try to balance it out more in the future. Does she seem realistic or a bit far-fetched? I’m trying my best to not make her a Mary-Sue, so please let me know if she is heading in that direction. As always, please like/follow/leave a kudor or a review/comment.**
> 
> **Next up: Thranduil has to find ways to deal with his new guest...**


	4. Suspicion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Thranduil ponders what to do...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** I’m so thrilled you guys like this fic so far, guys! Thank you so much for all the reviews/comments! The chapters are quite short for now and this one is written in yet another tense because I’m still experimenting with what works best for the characters. I think I’ll be sticking for first person/past tense for Millie and in this chapter, I’ll be doing the same. Nothing very much exciting is happening now, but as I said, this is a slow burn. If you have ideas of what you’d like to see, do let me know. Anyway, enough rambling from me - enjoy this chapter! 

**Chapter Four**

_ Suspicion  _

Hallath was a fool. 

Incredibly loyal, but a fool nonetheless. I’d always thought nobody else in my guard could match Tauriel’s talents as captain and as a warrior. After her marriage to Prince Kili, it was Hallath who proved himself worthy above the others. He was a firm, but fair captain and his men both respected and looked up to him. Most of them feared me and probably believed I cared very little about them. Truthfully, I knew the name of every single elf who lived in my kingdom and some of them have lived here since we first arrived in Middle-Earth. In those days, we referred to our home as  _ Taur-e-Ndaeldelos  _ but overtime, it became known as Mirkwood in the common tongue and it simply stuck. 

These woods have been the home of the Silvan for several millennia and we have always protected this realm from evil. Humans and especially dwarves have always believed that we are cruel and unmerciful compared to our kin in Imladris and Lórien. Perhaps they are right, but what they do not understand, is that while the other elven kingdoms have been safe and far away from the enemy, we have not been so lucky. So, while others may not understand our reluctance to open our doors to the rest of Arda, my people do. For as long as we have inhabited this kingdom, my father has always protected it and as have I. That is why my people have always stood by my side and trusted my decision as a king. 

However, things have begun to change. Since the defeat of Sauron at the end of our last age, Middle-Earth has become more united. Particularly since that Dúnedain ranger sat upon the throne of Gondor and that blonde dwarf decided to rule Erebor. Now, people turned to Mirkwood to form diplomatic relations and sign papers on trade agreements between the various kingdoms of Middle-Earth, as if we were nothing but pawns in their game. 

Much to Elrond’s annoyance, I have always refused.

We do some trade in goods with the people of Dale, but that is only because of our previous agreement with Lake Town. No matter how good and kind they tell me King Fili is, I’ve always seen too much of his uncle in him. Fili even married Thorin’s widowed fiancé and raised his son. 

For centuries, dwarves have proven they can’t be trusted. 

Hallath was indeed a fool to believe that young Millicent Thomas was different than anyone else. For all we knew, she could have been sent here as a spy, with orders to report back to Lady Signe of Dale. Signe had recently taken over the throne after her mother Sigrid’s passing and seemed to have made it her mission to form an alliance with us. When Sigrid ruled Dale after Bard’s death, we had understanding, which she always honored on account of her father. Her daughter had clearly decided to discard our old arrangement and instead of silently continuing our trades, she always insisted on pestering us by sending diplomatic emissaries to treat with us. 

Yet, I could tell Hallath sincerely believed that this human girl with a strange air about her, was entirely innocent of any crime. During our conversation earlier today, he explained that Millicent had been surprised upon finding out that this place was called Middle-Earth and claimed that neither elves or dwarves existed in her world. Supposedly, her kingdom was at war with a race called Germans and on the night she found herself in our woods, she thought she had died in an attack on her city. 

It was nothing but an outrageous, albeit creative, lie on her part. Frankly, I was surprised that Hallath believed her so blindly because his judge of character was usually excellent. To say that this whole strange affair was frustrating was an understatement and I certainly didn’t need it. So what if Millicent had appeared in our world and didn’t belong here? She certainly wasn’t elf-kind, so why was her fate any concern of mine? For all I cared, Hallath could either leave her to rot in our prison or cast her back into the woods and let the spiders deal with her. 

No matter how much I tried to tell myself that Millicent Thomas wasn’t my concern, her presence still troubled me. Nothing in this world happened by accident, that much I have learned over the course of my lifetime. If she was indeed telling the truth, then I was left no choice but believe that the cause behind this was magic. That was even more troublesome because it certainly wasn’t elf magic that had caused her to end up in my kingdom. 

Of course there were no wizards around when you truly needed them. Nobody had seen Gandalf the White since he last visited Elrond in Imladris, sometime after Aragorn’s coronation. As it often was with wizards, they came and went as they pleased and there was no point trying to tie them down to any one place. 

Perhaps if I wrote to Elrond and sought his counsel, he could shine some light on this strange affair. 

I shook my head and exhaled a frustrated sigh as I sat down on my throne and crossed my legs. 

No. 

I would not ask Elrond for help. Millicent was only a girl and she certainly wasn’t something to fear. But what to do with her? If she was telling the truth and wasn’t from this world, what were we supposed to do with her? A human should surely be with other humans, but if we sent her to Dale, Lady Signe would no doubt start asking questions without viable answers and that wasn’t a door I wanted to open. 

If the people of Dale found out I was keeping a human girl prisoner in my dungeons, havoc would break loose and then I’d never hear the end of it. 

Hallath explained to me that Millicent was a nurse, which seemed to be a human healer. While her kingdom was at war, she treated soldiers who returned injured from the battlefield. A girl that age seemed too young to have witnessed that much death, yet she showed no signs of fear. Perhaps there could be some use for her here. Of course, elves have never needed to worry about sicknesses, but humans have sometimes called for our aid. I have been fortunate to have some very talented healers in these halls. 

I was getting ahead of myself and I was being reckless. I still didn’t know if Millicent could actually be trusted. 

If Legolas was here, he would no doubt tell me to release her and allow her to stay here as our guest. If she couldn’t go home, wherever her home was, what other choice did I have? 

Reluctantly, I got up from my throne and walked down the wooden steps. I told the Keeper to give me the keys to the dungeon. I saw the skeptical look in the Keeper’s eyes when he passed me the keys, but wisely, he held his tongue. 

As soon as I began my descent down the steps to the dungeons, my elf-ears heard Millicent shifting from sitting to standing. By the time I approached the cell, she stood with her arms crossed and studied me carefully as she noticed the keys in my hand. I could tell she hadn’t slept much and there were dark circles under her eyes. Her blonde hair had lost some of its neat U-shape and the curls were frizzy. Her emerald eyes stared right at me, showing no fear at all where many humans would have otherwise looked away. She said nothing as I turned the key and opened the door. 

“You are free to leave.” I announced “If my captain tells me you are not a threat to us, then I believe him.” 

“Where am I supposed to go?” Millicent asked “Your captain must have told you everything, which means he also told you my home is far away. I don’t know how, but this is a different world from mine. I know you don’t believe me but elves don’t exist where I come from. They’re fairy tales told to children at bedtime. I know I don’t have any head injuries, which means that all of this is somehow very real.” 

For the first time since our first meeting, I heard fear in her voice. In that moment, I almost felt sorry for her. She was nothing but a girl who had somehow strayed too far from home and found herself in an elven kingdom. 

“If you are telling the truth and you know nothing about Middle-Earth, then I do not know how to help you.” I told her and I also saw the disappointment in her eyes. 

“Is there anyone who can?” she asked “If there’s a way for me to go home, I’d like to.” 

“There is a wizard who might be able to help. Unfortunately, his whereabouts at this particular moment remains unknown. You are welcome to leave, but if you are right, then this world is very different from yours and much more dangerous for young girls who know nothing of its evils.”

“So what should I do then?” 

I knew I would regret this, but somehow, I also knew it was what I had to do. No matter the consequences I would suffer later. 

I could already hear Elrond’s voice in my head. 

“You may stay here if you wish,” I told her “Hallath tells me you have some skills with healing, perhaps you may be of some use for us. I will have my servants prepare a room for you. For now, Millicent Thomas, until such a time when we can find Gandalf the Wizard, you are a guest in my home.” 

Millicent was as surprised as I was, but she didn’t say anything else and so I was finally able to return to my study and hopefully remain behind locked doors. 

**_To be continued…._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **There we go, another quick update. The next chapter will probably be a few days from now because I’m trying to finish my novel manuscript and a couple of work deadlines. Did you like this first person/past tense version of the Thranduil chapters? Or would you prefer it to go back to third person? Do you think it’s a natural reaction for Thranduil to allow Millie to reside in Mirkwood for a while? What do you think will happen next? Leave a review/comment :)**


	5. Adjusting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** *frantic waving* Hi! I’m back with another chapter! First of all, thank you SO much for all the reviews! I didn’t expect this fic to take off so well!   
>  Those of you who are following “All Bonds of Fellowship” will be thrilled to see a new chapter uploaded. Meanwhile, this’ll be the last update for this fic for the weekend at least. 
> 
> Let’s take a deep-dive into Millie’s mind :) 
> 
> Enjoy! 

**Chapter Five**

_ Adjusting  _

My first week with the Mirkwood elves was undoubtedly the strangest week of my life. Thranduil kept his word and not long after he unlocked my cell, I had my own room. I wasn’t sure what to expect from elven housing, but when I saw my room I was shocked. While the dungeons had been cold, dark and sterile my bedroom was the exact opposite.. A large bed made out of oak stood in the middle of it, with a softer mattress than I’ve ever had the pleasure of sleeping on. There were two bookshelves and a desk in one corner of the room, as well as a wardrobe of sorts. 

Given that the palace seemed to be in the middle of the forest, there weren’t really any windows, but strangely enough it was still bright. Believe it or not, I even had my own fireplace with its flames crackling and dancing on the coal. A part of me still wondered whether or not all of this was just a part of an elaborate German scheme, but eventually I had to concede and acknowledge the new reality I had found myself in. 

I crawled into bed and quickly nestled myself between the soft cotton sheets, which were more comfortable than anything I’d ever slept in before. I was given dinner by one of Thranduil’s servants, an elf-maiden by the name of Aerin, As the soft sheets encompassed me and the muscles of my body began to relax, I finally gave into my fatigue and fell into a deep and dreamless sleep. 

On the second day, I woke up to the smell of breakfast and tea. Aerin must have sneaked in and put the food on my desk not long ago. Amongst their other qualities, it seemed as though elves had keen senses. During my time in the dungeon, I noticed that Hallath and Thranduil would react to my movements before I was standing up or before I spoke. I couldn’t help but wonder what other qualities these creatures possessed. 

Creatures. 

It was a strange word and felt condescending to use because by and large, they looked quite human. Except for their height and pointed ears. Using the word ‘creature’ didn’t feel right and I made a note to file that away in my mind. There was certainly something otherworldly about them though, anyone could see that but. I just couldn’t put my finger on what it was. 

Thranduil’s decision to let me go surprised me and I wondered what changed his mind. I appreciated Hallath speaking with him, but I had a feeling that Thranduil was the sort of king whose decisions were impossible to reverse once he’d settled on something. 

I saw nothing of the king that first week and when I queried his whereabouts, I received no answers. In his absence, Hallath ran a tight ship and it seemed as though everyone knew what to do at any given time. Meanwhile, the elvenking remained behind closed doors and seemed to want nothing to do with anyone. 

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t frightened. This world, or at least the little of it I’d seen, was nothing like my home. I missed London even though we were in the middle of a War. I wondered if people noticed I was gone and if anyone at the hospital was worried. No doubt Mr Grayham would notice, but the others? Maybe Nancy Treymayne, the sweet nurse who had just moved to London from Cornwall. Truthfully, I was alone in London and I doubted that nobody would care much for a nurse who lived alone. 

A part of me still pondered the possibility of whether or not I was actually dead. Yet, this felt too real to be any kind of afterlife I’d read about. I couldn’t explain how, but something told me that if I was actually dead, I would simply know. There was also the option that this might altogether be nothing but a hallucination or a dream from having hit my head when I fell over just before the bomb hit. Maybe the bomb had missed me but I’d gotten a head trauma from something else. It didn’t take long before I discarded that theory too. Waking dreams were rare but they did happen and this felt nothing like it. 

Having discarded all my possible theories, I was left with no choice but to believe the inevitable: I was in a world completely different to my own. A world where elves, dwarves and wizards existed side by side. Hallath mentioned creatures called ‘orcs’ and while I hadn’t asked specifically what they were, the look of disdain in his eyes was enough of an answer. 

I missed my home and my tiny flat in Shoreditch. I missed the whistling noise of my kettle when the water was done boiling. I missed the sound of rain pitter-pattering against the window and I missed hearing the children play outside on my way to work in the morning. I even missed my grumpy landlady Mrs Worthing. I wanted to go home but Thranduil made it very clear I wasn’t able to until they found the wizard Gandalf.

And nobody knew anything about his whereabouts. 

So, for the time being, I was stuck in Mirkwood and I had a feeling I had to find a way to get used to my new home, otherwise it would become unbearable. I had been extremely wary and cautious of exploring anything much outside my bedroom until the seventh day, when I woken from my sleep by a terrible scream. It was a scream I’d heard many times before at the hospital and the agony was unmistakable. 

Someone was wounded. 

My nursing instincts immediately kicked in. Without changing out the nightgown I had graciously been gifted by Aerin, I jumped out of bed and, because of pure instinct, I grabbed my satchel bag lying on the desk before I ran out of my bedroom. There was quite the commotion in the grand palace and several elves had gathered in the throne room which was two staircases below my room. A group of elves belonging to Hallath’s guard marched in, carrying a young elf on a sort of stretch between them. 

There were scars on his face and neck that almost looked like scratch marks. Worst of all though, he had a deep cut wound on his right leg and I’d never seen anything like it. Black thick blood oozed from its entrance and some other kind of thick liquid I couldn’t understand. It was causing the elf a lot of pain and a quick glance over was enough to know he was going into shock. Not only was his skin pale and clammy, he kept mumbling incoherently their language, which I found out was called Sindarin. 

“What happened?” I asked and began to assess different ways to stop the wound from bleeding and potentially causing an infection and worse, organ failure if left untreated.

“My men were sent out on a scouting mission, and ran into Spiders.” Hallath explained “We have foolishly believed that since the end of the war, the spiders retreated back to the darkness whence they came. We were wrong.” 

“Spiders? What sort of spiders could possibly do this?” 

I knew that in some parts of the world - my world - poisonous spiders existed. Fortunately, I’d never encountered any myself but judging by the size of the wound, I dreaded to imagine what these beasts might look like. For a moment, I completely forgot about where I was and pushed past the Hallath to get a closer look. Some of the elves frowned at my audacity but Hallath didn’t seem to mind. 

“He’s going into shock,” I explained “If he doesn’t get immediate care, he might die. I need someone to put pressure on the wound.” 

Hallath said something in Sindarin and gestured. One of his men walked up to me and seemed reluctant at first, but I simply took hands and put them on the young elf’s wound. 

“Hold it like this,” I instructed as I rummaged through my satchel for a my medical torch, which thankfully was still intact. I carefully opened the young elf’s eyelid and shone the light at him, but barely reacted to the bright light. 

“What is that tool you’re carrying?” Hallath asked curiously “I have never seen such a thing.”

“This? This is just a torch.” I replied “Normally we use it to see in the dark but at hospital, we use it to get a closer look at injuries. What is his name?” 

“Gwydion, he is one of my chief scouts. Can you truly help him?” 

I rummaged through my bag where I found bits of bandage and a small vial containing iodine. I inhaled a deep breath, because I knew this wouldn’t be a pleasant experience. I instructed the elf next to me to remove his hands and poured a few drops of iodine over the wound. Gwydion began to cry out in pain and almost immediately, the remaining guards either backed away or got ready to grab their weapons. Hallath gave them more orders in Sindarin and they stood down. Iodine was normally a painful experience but what surprised me even more was how the goo that wasn’t blood began to bubble. 

Almost as if it was a chemical reaction and that concerned me because I was out of my league. I knew I had to try and eventually, the iodine began to do its work and the oozing ceased. The strange goo dissipated and while there was still blood to deal with, Gwydion calmed down. I was able to clean off most of the blood using a bit of the bandage. I pushed up his leg and asked the other elf to hold on while I dressed the wound with what was left of my bandage. Gwydion was still in pain, but I knew I had one more solution that could help a little. I reached into my bag again and pulled out yet another small vial containing clear liquid. I knew I had to be extremely careful, just enough could make the pain go away for a while, but too much could do more damage than good. I opened up Gwydion’s mouth and used my finger to very carefully tap the vile as a few drops fell into his mouth. 

Uncomfortable silence filled the air.

I knew I’d overstepped the unspoken boundaries and I’d have to deal with the consequences of that later. I became a nurse so that I could help people, so how I could I just watch someone suffer without doing anything. Eventually, Gwydion stopped fidgeting and his breathing became steadier. I opened his eyes and shone my torch to see how his pupils reacted and it was more normal now. I exhaled a breath I hadn’t even realised I was holding and relaxed.

I turned to Hallath whose expression was nothing short of amazement and confusion. 

“He’ll live, but he’s going to be in pain for a while.” I explained “Someone will have to see to him daily.” 

“How did you know how to do that?” Hallath asked “Humans aren’t usually able to heal elves.” 

“Like I said, I’m a nurse.” I told him “I’m trained to help people.”

Hallath didn’t seem particularly by my short answer but that was all there was to it. I was curious about what kind of medicine they used here, especially if they had giant spiders to worry about. 

“What is that liquid?” Hallath asked and I had a feeling I would be getting a lot of questions. 

“Oh this? This is called morphine.” I replied “It’s a painkiller we use for more serious injuries. It’s extremely powerful so I would be very careful with that if I were you.”

I watched as the elves carried Gwydion on the stretch and I could only assume they were taking him to an infirmary of some kind. 

“It appears there is much more to you than meets the eye. I owe you a great debt, Millicent Thomas.” Hallath said 

“There’s no need to thank me, I’m only doing my job.” I told him “But I would like to check up on Gwydion later, if that’s alright?” 

Hallath only nodded and I was about to speak again, when I for some cast a glance upwards and saw King Thranduil a couple of stories up. The elvenking stood there, wearing his elegant robes and leaned against the wooden railing looking down at us. His face was expressionless, but for a brief moment his eyes locked with mine and I saw something new in them I hadn’t seen before. 

Curiosity. 

The very moment Thranduil noticed I was paying attention, he looked away and walked back through corridor, no doubt to once more lock himself into his chambers. 

**_To be continued…._ ** **_  
_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **_There we go, another not so very long chapter, but they’ll get longer as we go on. I’m still figuring out the plot as I go. Also, I’m not sure if nurses actually carried morphine on their person in the 1940s but for the sake of storytelling, I’ve decided that Millie does. I apologize if the medicine isn’t entirely correct, I’ve tried to do research to the best of my ability but yeah, I hope I get away with it anyway._ **
> 
> **_Were Millie’s reactions to the incident realistic? Did she handle it well? What should happen next? Do let me know in the comments/reviews!  
>  Next chapter will be up in a few days!_ **


	6. Sleepless

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Thranduils struggles with sleep.....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Hello again! Sorry the update took a little while, this week has been crazy busy! But, I’ve had some time to write this weekend and I’m back with a new chapter! It’s hard to keep away from writing when you have so many ideas to write about! First of all, THANK YOU SO MUCH for all the comments and kudos! I'm glad y'all are enjoying it so far! 
> 
> Meanwhile, let’s see what’s happening in the mind of the woodland king. I still haven’t really worked out where I’m going with this, so I’m kinda just going with the literal flow right now. I’m also realising this is vaguely “Beauty and the Beast”-esque, which is entirely unintentional xD. Anyway, enough rambling from me. Enjoy the chapter! 
> 
> ***CONTENT WARNING* this chapter contains graphic depiction of self-harm and suicide. If this is not your cup of tea, you might want to skip this one. You have been warned.**

**Chapter Six**

_ Sleepless  _

Contrary to popular beliefs amongst those of non-elven kin - elves do sleep. Not necessarily because we need it to recharge our physical bodies, but rather as a way to recharge our minds. We also dream deeply and vividly. I must confess that lately, I have found it difficult to relax. Though people dare not say it to myself, I know many believe that because we were not directly involved in the War against Sauron, we were unaffected by it. This is not true, because the war also came to us and my people lost brothers and sisters. I too lost dear friends. Nevertheless, life must go on, even though elves struggle to accept heartache in a way that is altogether different from humans. On such nights when I am unable to sleep and when the stars are not visible outside, I wander the corridors of my palace. 

Tonight was such a night. 

Change has always been a slow process for us and usually does not happen without purpose. Having a human from another world seemingly dropped on our doorstep was unforeseen change and would take time to process. Others would surely disagree, certainly King Fili’s human queen of Erebor, but I am not heartless, nor have I ever been. I certainly would never cast a lonely human girl to the wilderness of Mirkwood and expect her to somehow find her way back to her own world. 

For the moment, it seemed as though I had no choice but to let Millicent stay with us until Gandalf the Wizard was found. A part of me couldn’t help but wonder, that if this was indeed a purposeful trick crafted by the Valar, if Gandalf himself was a part of it.

To my own surprise, it seemed as though our new guest might prove herself useful to us. A few days ago, when young Gwydion was injured by the spiders, I watched as Millie healed him, seemingly without any trouble at all. Quite remarkable, really. I have never before seen a human being able to heal an elf and certainly not with such talent as she possessed. I wondered if perhaps medicine was more advanced in her world and that it was common practice amongst women. 

Occasionally, the people of Dale sought our help with healing, and now perhaps Millicent could aid us. If anything, she could become a useful connection with the humans and I wouldn’t have to be the one to deal with Lady Signe. 

And I would not need Elrond’s help. 

Yes, a human healer and diplomatic emissary to act on our behalf. I rather like the sound of that, but we would simply have to see how things progress.

Elves often sought comfort in starlight but sometimes, I also found the darkness comforting its own right. Silence was an underrated companion, particular in a place where there was always noise. Usually, my nightly strolls were uninterrupted and I enjoyed the tranquility of my home. On that particular night, however, my peace was interrupted. 

As always, I began my stroll from my chambers, down towards the lower levels of the palace. Sometimes, I liked to visit the guards, just to make sure they were on active duty, instead of falling asleep under the influence of too much wine. There was no point in walking past the dungeons as they were currently uninhabited and Gwydion had already been seen to in the infirmary. So, after my visit to the basement, I simply decided to return to my chambers via the throne room. 

Halfway up the stairs, I halted as a strange sound reached my ears. Upon listening closer, I realised it was the sound of crying coming from one of the rooms on the second floor. I immediately recognized the voice. 

Millicent was crying. 

At first, I hesitated whether or not to investigate further, but her sobs sounded hopeless and I felt compelled to make sure everything was alright. I approached her chambers and carefully opened the door to her bedrooms. To my surprise, I quickly realized that the young woman was still asleep and seemed to be having some sort of nightmare. 

“No, no, no, Charles! Please don’t leave me,” Milicent sobbed hysterically “You promised you would never leave me!” 

_ Charles _ , I thought and wondered who he was. I sat down on the edge of the bed and saw her eyes were closed, which confirmed my suspicion of nightmares. Sweat ran down her forehead and she had thrown off her sheet, as if she had been fighting monsters. Gently, I placed my hand on her forehead with my only intention of seeing whether she was suffering with fever. Instead, I was pulled inside her mind and found myself standing in a strange house, unlike anything I had seen in this world. It was dark and raining outside and I wondered if this was her world. Then, I saw Millicent a few meters in front of me in a small room with a kind of metal bathtub. She was leaning over the body of a young man, similar in age to Millicent. Thick, crimson blood dripped from his wrists into a puddle on the floor and Millicent was crying hysterically, desperately trying to revive him. 

Shortly after, I was pulled out of the vision and decided to nudge Millicent, to bring her out of that nightmare. Her eyes opened and her pupils were dilated, clearly still in panic after suffering such a vivid fright. Then, and much to my surprise, her first reaction upon noticing my presence was to use her arm as a weapon aimed right at me but I grabbed it mid-air and mumbled an elvish incantation my father taught me. Finally, Millicent calmed down and came out of her sleep-state. When she saw me this time, her eyes flickered in surprised but she did not try to hit me. Instead, she looked around her, as if to make sure she was in the right place. 

“What happened?” she asked cautiously 

“I heard you screaming from nightmares.” I replied “I came to see that you were alright.” 

Millicent exhaled an exasperated sigh and buried her face in her hands. She was clearly frustrated and I was not entirely certain if it was because of my presence or the dreams themselves. 

“Who is Charles?” I asked “You spoke his name in your sleep.”

Even though she was not aware, I heard her heart beating fast at the mention of Charles’ name and it made me more curious. Millicent looked away and I knew then that this was clearly a sensitive subject. 

“Nobody.” she lied, but I decided to keep my questions to myself. I also decided it was probably wise to not let her know that I had seen her dreams. “Thank you, I appreciate your concern, but I’m fine. I think I’m just going to try and go back to sleep.” 

I nodded and got up from the bed, filled with more questions that I had before. Everyone had their secrets and it seemed as though whoever Charles was, caused Millicent a great deal of pain. I was surprised, because humans were usually bad at hiding their feelings, but from our first meeting, Millicent struck me as a woman of strong mind and someone who was able to hold herself together. I stood at the threshold of the bedroom and turned around to her, thinking a few words of comfort might make her feel better. 

“You are safe in these halls,” I assured her “Nothing here can harm you.” 

Then, she asked a question that surprised even me. 

“What about, Lord Thranduil?” Millicent wondered “Are you safe?” 

Was I safe? A question I had never been asked by others before and in my mind, I knew that there were no answers I could give that would satisfy her. Not even the truth. 

“I shall leave that to you to decide.” I simply told her before leaving the bedroom, wondering what to do with this new information. 

**_To be continued….._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **_There we are! A short-ish chapter, but I wanted to explore the side of Thranduil that does have magic and can probably see into other’s minds, just like Elrond and Galadriel. Who is Charles? Is Thranduil going to tell Millie that he saw her dream? What will happen when she does? Let me know what you think and if you have ideas of what you want to happen, do let me know!_ **


	7. Disease

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Millie is asked a favour....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Oh look! Another update! Thank you again for the reviews/comments! I hope you’re finding the fic enjoyable, I have some more ideas now and roughly know what direction to take this in. This time we get to explore what Millie is thinking and feeling. Also, I want to know what you think about the pacing - is it too slow, too fast or just enough? Would you guys like longer chapters or is this length fine? Enjoy! 

**Chapter Seven**

_Sickness_

I’d be lying if I said seeing Thranduil in my bedroom was a total shock. He’d done nothing but avoid me since my arrival and now suddenly he was concerned about my wellbeing? Shaping an opinion on the woodland king was proving to be a difficult task because he was difficult to read. Purposely so, no doubt. That said, dreaming about Charlie caught me off guard because it has been a while since I’ve seen his face in my sleep. I used to be afraid of seeing those dark brown eyes, but now they’re just memories. I wasn’t going to let this episode affect me though and I certainly didn’t want Thranduil to think something was wrong with me or that they had to babysit me. I wasn’t quite sure why, but for some reason, I’d decided to not let the king’s grumpy demeanour phase me and if I were to stay here long time, I wanted to be useful somehow. I didn’t simply want to take advantage of the elves’ hospitality, because regardless of the king, everyone else had been very kind to me. Aerin, the young maid, brought me hot meals every day and always stayed for a chat. 

My second surprise during those first few weeks in Mirkwood, came when I asked Aerin about her age. Rather foolishly, I’d assumed she was around my age, give or take a few years. I have never been so wrong and I’m sure my chin must have hit the floor when she told me that she was, in fact, two thousand years old. I had a hunch that magic was as real in this world, as science in mine but I could never have fathomed that elves were literally immortal. Back home, scientists have been trying to find proof of immortality for thousands of years without any luck. Somehow, elves were simply born with it. 

Nobody back home would ever believe me. 

I tried to find some sort of routine to avoid going completely crazy. For a few days after Gwydion’s injury, I visited him in the infirmary to re-dress his wound and after I was done, we would talk. He asked me questions about my home and I asked him about Middle-Earth. The things he told me were fascinating. A few years ago, there had been a great war against someone called Sauron who wanted to take over all of Middle-Earth. Elves, men, dwarves and other races allied and fought against him and somehow, they won. From Gwydion’s retelling, Sauron sounded like some sort of demon born within the shadows of everything bad in the world. He also told me thatThranduil’s son, Prince Legolas, had been part of a fellowship whose quest was to destroy the one weapon Sauron sought more than anything. It all sounded like some sort of fantastical fairytale to me but I knew it was all true. 

Wars were terrible things that destroyed the lives of innocent people. It broke up families and tore lovers away from each other. Wars destroyed the innocence of childhood and left behind an emptiness that nothing could fill. 

Nothing at all. 

I couldn’t help but wonder what would happen if we lost the war? What would become of all those soldier boys who thought the cause was worth dying for? I thought of the young boy in the hospital wing on the night of the bombs. 

Was there a Middle-Earth waiting for them too? 

* * *

“Millicent, I’m afraid I must ask a favour from you.”

On my third week in Mirkwood, I sat at the desk in my bedroom, writing down journal notes and practicing drawing when I heard Hallath’s voice. I immediately knew something was wrong, because his gaze darted across the room almost as if he was afraid to meet mine. The tone in his voice suggested a matter of urgency and I wondered if somebody else had been injured. 

“Please call me, Millie.” I told him “I’m only Millicent when I’m in trouble.” 

Hallath responded with a nod and then closed the door behind him so that the conversation was kept private. I was both intrigued and mildly concerned. If he specifically wanted a favour from me, it had to do with medicine somehow and if he didn’t want anyone else to hear about it, it must be something serious that they wanted to keep quiet. I assumed that if it had to do with the elves, there would be whispers going around Mirkwood by now and as Aerin had told me, elves were immortal so while they got injured, they never got sick. 

“Did something happen in that city….Dale was it?” I asked 

“How can you know?” Hallath replied “I have yet to tell you anything?” 

“Is it a disease? Who’s sick?” 

“Lady Signe’s youngest daughter, Astrid. She has been suffering with a fever for a few days, and it will not go down. This morning, she was struggling to wake up. They sent someone for our aid, but truthfully, I think this is not something elvish medicine can heal. There was also an elderly woman, a friend who has been showing similar symptoms.” 

“What other symptoms does she have?” 

“Difficulties with breathing and chills. You have seen this before?” 

I hadn’t specifically seen it before, but I had heard of it. Some twenty-years ago, when I was only a little girl, the Spanish Flu swept across the globe at a terrifying rate, killing millions of people. Of course, there wasn’t a reason for concern just yet if young Astrid was the only one sick, but as far as I could tell, Middle-Earth hadn’t developed modern medicine and there were no hospitals. If there was a possible outbreak of a pandemic, I wasn’t qualified to deal with it alone. I was a nurse, not a doctor, but I couldn’t just let people be sick. 

“Yes, but I was only a child.” I explained “It was called the Spanish Flu and it spread very quickly. Although, we shouldn’t jump to conclusions, she could just be a sick child.” 

“Can you help?” Hallath asked “I saw you heal Gwydion, I know you are talented. I mean not to be insulting, but you are also human and they would trust you more than they trust us.” 

“What does the king say?” 

Hallath’s gaze shifted again and I raised an eyebrow.

“He doesn’t know?” I assumed “Hallath, I’m not sure I’m comfortable going behind his back. I don’t think he would take it well.” 

“You would not be going behind back.” Hallath assured me “You would be doing me a personal favour. It is in our best interest to keep good relations with Dale because they help us keep good relations with the dwarves of Erebor.” 

Ah, I thought, the dwarves. I hadn’t really touched on that subject over the past few weeks but for some reasons, the Mirkwood elves did not like the dwarves of Erebor. Or rather, King Thranduil did not like them. From what I’d heard, dwarves were greedy, jealous and cared only for those of their own kin. But, apparently King Fili was married to a human, which seemed strange to me but if that was the case, then clearly they also cared for others. But what did I know? I was still getting used to this world and all its strangeness. I grabbed my satchel bag and placed a few things in it. A few days earlier, I had asked if there were poppy flowers in the wood and when I described them to Hallath, he’d sent some of his men out to find them. I knew just about enough of the basics behind morphine to use poppy if I ran out of the actual liquid in my own vial. 

I had barely spent any time outside since arriving in Mirkwood. Truthfully, I’d been frightened to venture out alone because if there were giant spiders that could kill an immortal being, then what other evils lurked in the shadows? On rare occasions, when Hallath was doing his evening patrol, I went with him for the sake of getting some fresh air in my lungs. Mirkwood was a strange forest though and the skies were covered by the giant tree canopies. 

Seeing something new would be good for me, I decided. And with that, I grabbed my bag and left my bedroom with Hallath. 

* * *

Dale was unlike anything I had expected. In my mind, I pictured a small medieval village from one of my school history textbooks but the reality was quite different. The City of Dale was a bustling hub. Even in the early hours of morning, men and women were setting up their stalls getting ready for a busy day of trading no doubt. Hallath explained that before the dragon Smaug (I almost choked when he said the word dragon) claimed Erebor as his, Dale was a proud city. The dragon destroyed much of it and its people were forced to flee to a place they called Lake Town. Nearly 70 years ago, a company of dwarves along with Gandalf the Wizard, something called a hobbit and apparently two humans went on a quest to reclaim the mountain. Against all odds they succeeded, but their king died. Hallath explained that Fili, who was now kind of Erebor, was the nephew of the old king. I had so many questions, one of them included more details on what specifically a hobbit was and why humans would help dwarves take back their home but that was for a later time. 

Breathing the fresh air of the valley filled my lungs with relief and I was glad to see that there indeed was something else in this world other than Mirkwood. Dale reminded me a little bit of Fleet Street in London with its busy atmosphere. I had been given some clothes by the elves, because they thought it best not to wear my normal clothes. It made sense, I suppose, because I didn’t want to draw any unnecessary attention to myself. That said, I still saw people looking strangely at me because apparently it was rare to see a human in elven clothing. I ignored their mumblings and eventually, we arrived at a large wooden house with intricate carvings on the door. Some sort of old language I couldn’t read but it reminded me a little bit of norse runes. Hallath was about to knock on the door but it already opened. A teenage boy stood in front of us, he was maybe sixteen or seventeen years old, skinny, had short brown hair and wide amber eyes. At first, he looked at me skeptically, but when he saw Hallath, he stepped aside and invited us in. 

I had never seen a house quite like this before. It had two floors and the first one consisted of what I assumed was a large lounge of sorts. I could see a kitchen further down the corridor and then there was a staircase leading upstairs, where I assumed the bedrooms were. 

“Where is she, Galen?” Hallath asked 

“She’s upstairs, come quickly.” said Galen and ran ahead upstairs. 

Galen led us to a large bedroom, where a young girl lay on the bed. A woman in her late 30s sat on the edge of the bed, wiping the girl’s forehead with a wet cloth. Given their similar brown hair, square shaped face and dimples, it was obviously her mother - Lady Signe. The moment she saw us, she sized me up and down, her frown showing the same skepticism as her son had shown only moments earlier. 

“I thought you were bringing a healer?” Signe said sharply, “Who is she?” 

“ _ She _ is called Millie.” I calmly explained “I am a trained nurse and Hallath asked me to help you.” 

“But you are no elf!”

“You must be an excellent leader with such clear vision.” 

I hadn’t meant to be sassy, it was a bad force of habit but I loathed people who assumed things about me. From the corner of my eye and to my surprise, I saw Hallath trying to hold back laughter. Lady Signe remained silent while she tried to make up her mind about me, but finally she stood up and gestured for me to have a look at her daughter. Even under the light cotton sheet, young Astrid was radiating heat like a brick right out of the oven. I listened to her chest, which sounded a little tight but the main problem was the fever. 

“How long has she been like this?” I asked 

“Since yesterday,” Signe replied “The fever has steadily been getting worse, I cannot break it.”

“No, because you’re only keeping her forehead cold. I need more towels and cloth. We need to keep her armpits cool and her groin. She also needs fluid intake, water or tea of some kind. Galen, can you get those things for me?” 

Galen nodded and then hurried downstairs, leaving me only with Signe, Astrid and Hallath. 

* * *

When Galen returned with the towels and water, I asked him to take Hallath to the other sick woman. I explained exactly what they had to do and that I would come and see her myself after I was done caring for Astrid. I must have spent hours changing towels to make sure the temperature wasn’t rising, while her mother made sure she kept drinking so she didn’t suffer from dehydration. Signe and I said nothing to each other for those first couple of hours. She let me do my work and she helped when I asked her. I could tell she was an authoritative woman who wasn’t used to having her voice challenged. It was easy to see why Thranduil didn’t much care for her and I wondered what the king would say if he was here now.

Wait…

Why did I care about Thranduil’s opinions? I wasn’t doing this for him, I was doing this as a favour to Hallath who had become a good friend in the short while I’d been in Mirkwood. Which is less than what you could say for the woodland king who stayed hiding behind clothes doors. I was certainly grateful for Thranduil’s hospitality, but I didn’t need to prove anything to him. His lack of trust towards me or anyone else, was his problem to deal with.

Yet, in my mind I wondered if it wasn’t lonely to be so reclusive. 

In the late afternoon, we finally made some progress and when I placed my hand on Astrid’s forehead, I could feel a drop in temperature. When I showed Signe, she exhaled a relieved sigh which she must have been holding in for the past twenty-four hours. If we were lucky, the fever would keep dropping and by morning, Astrid should feel much better. 

“I must ask, are you truly a friend of the elves?” Signe asked as she passed me a tankard with warm herbal tea, while we sat on the steps outside. “Of King Thranduil?”    
  
“I’m not sure anyone is really a friend of Thranduil.” I replied “Certainly not if the king can help it.” 

To my surprise, Signe burst out laughing and even more surprisingly, I found myself joining her. Perhaps my first impression of Lady Signe was wrong and she seemed to have come to the same conclusion about me. f It was so good to just let out of all the pressure and stress of the past few weeks and talk to another woman. Another human. 

“You are different from other women I have met.” Signe noted “You speak and carry yourself differently. No doubt his Majesty finds that intimidating. Why do you stay there?”

“My home is very far away.” I said “Worlds away some might say. I don’t have anywhere else to go. Hallath and his guards saved me and the king told me I could stay until I find a way home.” 

“And how will you do that?”

“There’s apparently a wizard who can help, but nobody knows his whereabouts.” 

The thought of Gandalf made me a little sad, because that last time I brought up the subject with Hallath, he told me that there was still no progress tracking him down. However, now that I knew there were other people and places nearby that wasn’t just the Mirkwood palace, things felt a little better and I was doing some good by helping out. 

“You mean Gandalf?!” Signe exclaimed “We haven’t seen him in these parts for years, but I hear he is a personal friend to King Fili and Queen Maggie, perhaps you could speak with them?” 

“Something tells me that maybe Gandalf doesn’t want to be found.” I replied “But the elves have been very gracious with their hospitality and I’ve made some friends. It’s not all bad.”

“And now you have some more friends. You are always welcome here, Millie.”

Signe squeezed my hand and I felt a little flustered by the kindness. I then noticed Hallath and Galen returning, with what I hoped was good news regarding the old woman. I’d been so busy focusing on Astrid that I assumed Hallath and Galen were doing well by themselves with my instructions. Their faces however, told me a completely different story altogether and my heart sank. Hallath saw the sadness in my eyes and he nodded, as if to confirm my suspicions. 

“We could not save her.” Hallath explained “She was already old and the fever was strong. I am truly sorry.” 

It was my fault. 

I was so busy making friends that I let my guard down and somebody else died because of it. 

“Millicent? Are you alright?” Hallath asked “You look very pale.” 

Elves had a knack for pointing out the obvious. 

“Yes, I’m fine.” I lied

I wasn’t fine though. Not at all. 

And I knew for a fact that Thranduil would not be happy about this. 

**_To be continued…._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **_That was a slightly longer chapter than usual. I think I’m finding their voices. What did you think? Were Millie’s interactions natural? Has she made a friend in Lady Signe? What will happen next?_ ** __


	8. Disease, Part II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Millie gets sick...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Hello guys! Happy Monday! It’s a new week so therefore you guys get a new chapter! Thank you for all the kudos and comments! I’m so excited you guys like it. Here’s the next one, this time from Thranduil’s point of view. 

**Chapter Eight**

_ Disease, Part II _

When Hallath and Millicent returned from Dale, I immediately knew that something was wrong. Death always left behind a visible trail of sorrow and I could see it in both of their eyes, especially Millicent. Normally, she was the one to meet my eyes and I would look away because I did not want her judgement, but this time our roles were reversed. Hallath put a hand on her shoulder, as though to comfort her but Millicent simply nodded and then retreated to her chambers. Not once did she so much as meet my eyes, instead, she kept her gaze fixed to the ground until she closed the doors behind her. I asked Hallath what happened and he explained that an old woman in Dale had passed away from the same sickness that had fallen upon young Astrid. Millicent felt guilty because while she was looking after Astrid, she had instructed Hallath and Galen on how to care for the old woman, but it seemed as though her already weak body was unable to fight the disease and so she passed. 

Humans were so frail. 

It surprised me to see Hallath so deeply affected by the death of the old woman. I also knew that not only was he becoming a friend of Millicent, but he was also a friend to the people of Dale. He did not speak much of it, but I knew that he sometimes ventured into the city with a select few members of his guard to make sure everything was fine. Perhaps spending time with humans is what softened him towards Millicent before anyone else. 

I had to admit that she had adapted to her new life remarkably well. There was strength in her that surprised even me. My people had also taken to her, especially the young elf-maidens who looked after her. Sometimes, I heard them talking about Millicent when they thought I could not hear them. Some of them wondered how long she would be staying with us and if perhaps she would consider making Mirkwood her home. Others were surprised that I had allowed her to stay, because it was rare that those of non-elven kin dwelled within these halls. 

I too was surprised. I owed Millicent nothing and there was no reason why she should stay here longer than necessary. According to Hallath, she had made friends in Dale and surely, she could stay there with other humans. Then again, Dale could be a cold and unforgiving place if you were unlucky and if there was indeed a disease spreading, staying away would be for the better. Perhaps, if I also felt a sense of guilt with regards to her fate. She had somehow stumbled into our realm and furthermore, on my literal doorstep. Any elf worthy of the light  Oromë blessed us with could sense magical involvement miles away. I did not fully understand it yet, but I knew that Millicent had to stay in Mirkwood. 

Truthfully, having her here had seen undoubtedly positive changes in the mood of my people and I did not want that to wane. Maybe there was no need for Gandalf to be found just yet. 

Then of course, there was the ordeal regarding Charles. Ever since I had seen her nightmare, I wanted to know who he was. Why did he have such an impact on Millicent and why was she so reluctant to speak about him? 

Millicent Thomas was an enigma and it deeply bothered me. 

Of course, I was not going to let her know that. 

* * *

“Millicent has taken ill, my lord.” 

It was nearly midday when Hallath stood in the doorway to my chambers with his eyebrows furrowed. Perhaps there truly was a disease spreading in Dale after all and if Millicent had been treating Astrid, it would make sense that she had been infected. I wondered if other people in Dale were showing signs of infection, but our main concern was our guest. It was clear to me that in the past few weeks, Millicent had endeared herself to my people and no doubt they would be upset if she died in my care. 

“What makes you say that?” I asked as I dipped my quill into black ink and signed off a letter to Lord Elrond. 

“She has not yet gotten out of bed and Aerin said she left her food cold at the door.” Hallath explained “ I walked in to see to her and her forehead was burning up.”

“You believe she has caught the sickness from Dale?” 

“I cannot see that there is another explanation.” 

“I see, and what do you suggest we do?” 

For a moment, there was silence and I knew what Hallath would ask before his lips moved. All elves were born with the ability to heal, but some of us were more skilled than others. Elrond was perhaps the greatest healer of all of us, but I too have learned the art from my father. I should perhaps be grateful that I rarely have to use it, whereas Elrond seemed to relish in helping others. Over the millennia that we have been friends, we have had long discussions about where his allegiance lies and that he so willingly offers his help to those who seek it, without considering the consequences of such generosity. In turn, he of course thinks I am foolish and paranoid.

“You are a great healer,  _ hir-nin _ . Help her.” Hallath pleaded “She may not be from this world, but she belongs here and I believe you can sense that just as the rest of us, even though we know not what it means.” 

A sigh escaped my lips, albeit more frustrated than I cared to admit. Hallath was, as per usual, right. 

“I will help her,” I assured him “You have my word.” 

And a king always kept his word. 

* * *

Healing Millicent was something that I knew would bring back memories. The last time I had healed somebody was my dying wife and when I could not help her, I thought perhaps Elrond would be able to. Not even his great skills could save her and I was there when light waned from her eyes. I recall my son’s distraught attempts at reviving her body, while I stood by and did nothing. Eventually, we had to admit the inevitable and for weeks following her death, Legolas hardly spoke to me. No doubt, he blamed me for not being able to save his mother and I could not blame him. Over the centuries, Legolas grew older, as well as wiser and understood that the only ones to blame for my wife’s death, were those responsible for taking it. Legolas dedicated years to scouring the woods of Middle-Earth to find them, and no doubt would have done so to his death if he didn’t join the Fellowship in Rivendell. 

The infection had grabbed a strong hold of Millicent’s body and during that first day, it was a struggle to bring down her fever. It did not help that both Hallath, Gwydion and Aerin kept interrupting due to their worry. They stopped when I finally ordered them to leave us alone, with the promise that I would be sure to let them know of any changes. 

When elves heal, we create a magical bond with the person we are healing. It is impossible to heal a human without also seeing into their minds because that is how our magic works. This was also the case with Millicent and the moment after I used a healing incantation, I once again found myself inside her mind. This time however, it was not at the scene of Charles’ death, but during the time when he was alive. I could not clearly see what was going on, but I heard Millicent laughing. A crisp and melodic laughter that was carried by the wind. It was like seeing figments of memories from a time perhaps not so long ago. Then, as the magic began to heal her body and made her stronger, I was cast out of her mind, but left with even more questions. 

Questions that I knew were not mine to ask. 

“You didn’t strike me as a healer,” came Millicent’s voice. 

It was early hours of the morning and her voice was still weak from the sickness. Her question was one of surprise and I couldn’t help but wonder what sort of image Millicent had conjured of me. No doubt my absence during my month of morning had made her suspicious and rightfully so. 

“Why is that?” I asked as I mixed herbs in a carved, wooden mortal. 

It seemed as though the healing was working, and while it would take a while before the sickness drained from her body, Millicent was strong. That much was clear. 

“Just something Signe told me in Dale.” Millicent explained “She said that you only care for yourself and that even your own people fear you.” 

“Do you truly believe that I am that cruel?” I asked plainly 

“No, I believe you’re lonely. There’s a difference.”

Milicent spoke with such conviction that it caught me off guard. Her sharpness and astute observational skills impressed me, even though I did not say it loudly. She was earnest about her opinions where others would mask them because of their fear. Maybe that was why Charles obviously cared for her so deeply. Once again, I found myself wondering what happened and why she pretended as if he did not exist. Even in her fever-induced sleep, Millicent had muttered Charles’ name several times and any fool with two ears could tell he was important to her. 

“Tell me about Charles.” I said, realising it was a demand rather than a question. “You kept saying his name through the night.” 

“Why does it matter to you?” Millicent asked sharply

“Contrary to what Lady Signe and others in Dale believe, I do care. If you are a guest in my house, then your wellbeing is of importance to me. If you are suffering nightmares, then perhaps we can help you.” 

I heard the change in Millicent’s voice and her weight shifting in bed, almost as if she didn’t want to face me. 

“Charles is….was my fiancé.” Millicent explained “We were supposed to get married this spring.” 

“What happened to him?” I asked, even though I already knew the answer. 

“Charles was a teacher who loved his job, but when the war began, he was sent to the trenches in France. He got injured in combat and saw so many of his friends die. Some of them were as young as the students he taught and when he came back home to London, he was never quite the same. I tried to help him, get him to see the light in life again and to be excited about our wedding but he never really recovered. One day, I guess it all became too much for him to handle and when I came home from work, I found him in the bathtub. His wrists had been slit and he was dead long before I reached him. I couldn’t save him.” 

Millicent’s voice broke as she finished the last sentence and for the first time since her arrival, she showed her true self. It all made sense now, I thought. I had judged her too quick and it seemed we had more in common than I had presumed. To lose a lover at such a young age was enough to break anyone’s heart. 

“Is that why you feel such guilt?” I wondered “Hallath told me about the old woman Dale. Surely you must know that it is not your fault? There was nothing you could have done to save her.” 

“But I didn’t even try.” Millicent said “I chose to save Astrid and left the old woman in the care of others, when she should have been my responsibility. I abandoned someone who needed me.” 

“Do you feel that way about Charles? Do you believe that he took his own life because you abandoned him?”

“I…..I never said….” 

Millicent did not have to say anything. I could feel her guilt and her pain as though it were a part of me. She knew I could feel it as well, which left a strange and unspoken feeling lingering in the air. Maybe I should have explained to her that elves were highly intuitive and picked up the emotions of others easily. Then again, so did Millicent and perhaps that is also what frightened her? Another thought then struck me that I hadn’t considered before but it was also ludicrous and nothing I could be certain of. Had the Valar sent her here for the purpose of healing her own heartache? By healing others, did she believe she could heal herself? It was impossible to know for sure and I needed more time to think things through. I stirred the herbs into a mug with warm water and sat down on the edge of the bed. Millicent glanced at me skeptically and I couldn’t help but to be amused. 

“I will not poison you,” I assured her “This will help easy the infection out of your body and will help you sleep. You can trust me.” 

What surprised me the most is how sincere my promise was. I meant not to deceive her in any way, nor to make her feel unwelcome. Whether we both liked it or not, we were stuck with each other for the foreseeable future. Somewhat reluctantly, Millicent drank the herbal remedy and lay back down. I mumbled some words in elvish and I could tell the magic had started to affect her, as her eyes began to flicker around until her eyelids closed. I decided to leave her be for the time being and let her sleep now that I knew there was no cause for immediate concern. 

“Thranduil,” Millicent mumbled as I stood in the doorway “Who did you lose?” 

I knew what she meant and I pondered whether or not to pretend I hadn’t heard her. To my surprise, I told her the truth. 

“My wife.” I replied simply “Tomorrow is the anniversary of her passing.” 

I didn’t expect a reply from Millicent and surely enough, she quickly fell into a deep sleep and I left her chambers, filled with more questions than before. 

**_To be continued….._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **_There we are! Another chapter yet again! Please let me know what you thought about this one! It was the first proper interaction between Millie and Thranduil! I know it’s not very exciting right now but I do have a lot planned and I’m building up to things. It’s just going ot be a slow burn romance. Please leave a comment!_ **


	9. Acceptance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which things take a new turn.....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Happy Weekend! Weekend also means another update! Thank you for the reviews on the last chapter and for the follows! I’m glad you’re continuing to enjoy it!   
> Let’s see what goes on in Millie’s head. 
> 
> **Elvish translations:**  
>  Arwenamin: My lady

**Chapter Nine**

_ Acceptance  _

Thranduil’s healing certainly seemed to work, but I was still out of sorts over the following few days. The infection hit me a lot harder than I expected, which surprised me at first, but upon further reflection there might be another explanation. I am not an expert on the subject but, even though my mind has accepted this new reality I’m in, perhaps my body has not. It was only a guess but it made sense to me because, by and large, this was a sort of trauma and maybe it weakened my immune system. 

What surprised the most during my bedridden state, was that Thranduil kept coming to check on me and continue his treatment, whatever that really meant. I had no idea how elvish medicine worked and I had an idea that they weren’t too keen on sharing their secrets. Maybe that was also why they wanted me to help them treat the people of Dale, so that they could keep their secrets amongst themselves. I didn’t necessarily mind, it gave me something to do and connected me with other humans. I really liked Lady Signe’s company and even with the death of the old woman, I wanted to go back when I felt better. However, his Lordship refused to let me out of bed even though I did feel better. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t perplexed by Thranduil’s sudden change of attitude towards me. For weeks, he’d treated me with nothing but suspicion and went through great lengths to ignore me. I’d been certain he only allowed me to stay here out of pity and to save his own reputation. Now that we were actually on speaking terms, he seemed to enjoy our conversations and actually, so did I. Thranduil was well-spoken, intelligent and even had a sense of humor, though he’d never admit it to anyone else. 

After I told him about Charlie, he never asked me about it again and I was grateful for it. That said, I was also curious about his wife. I knew she was the reason for his cold demeanour and why he was so detached from everyone. I wondered if that’s the reason why he trusted me more now, because we had both lost someone we loved. In my fever induced state, I remember him saying that it was the anniversary of his wife’s death. I couldn’t help but wonder how long ago she died, but knowing the lifespan of elves, it was impossible to guess. 

“You are quiet today,  _ arwenamin _ .” Thranduil noted “What are you pondering?” 

At first, I wasn’t sure whether to be honest with him, but something told me that if I wasn’t, he would know. I honestly don’t know why the story of his wife stuck in my mind the way it had. I wasn’t one to let something linger, but I couldn’t let it go. Thranduil was such a mystery in general that I just wanted to understand him. Being a nurse meant it was my job to heal people, but there was no cure for a broken heart. It wasn’t the first time I’d seen sadness caused by love, but it was different with Thranduil. I couldn’t quite describe it, but it was a haunting sort of loneliness that seemed to root itself in the very core of his being. Aerin explained to me that elves handled heartbreak very badly and it was the one thing that could kill them. Still, Thranduil was alive and hadn’t allowed his own sorrow to drain his life. That spoke volumes about his character and it made me all the more curious. 

In the months after Charlie’s death, my life was nothing but a blur. I barely remember anything apart from waking up and going to bed. Eventually, it got easier and I was able to get on with life but it was lonely. Sure, I have friends but not much family to speak of. Charlie was everything to me. It was easy to imagine that if you were blessed with immortality, you committed to a partner in a completely different way. 

“What makes you think I have something on my mind?” I asked, although I’m not sure why I wasn’t just honest with him in the first place. 

“You breathe much deeper when you are thinking.” Thranduil replied. “I gather there is a question you wish to ask?” 

I watched as he prepared the usual herbal tea as he had for the past few days. I wondered what was in it, but I had a feeling it wasn’t just the herbs that made it all work. I was still trying to comprehend magic and how it worked, but it was so beyond anything I was used to. Thranduil was right of course, and more perceptive than he let on. 

“I know it’s not really any of my business, but I remember what you told me the other night.” I started, and felt myself getting nervous. “You told me it was the anniversary of your wife’s death and I wanted to ask you about her.”

“What is it you wish to know?” Thranduil said “Speak quickly, you’ll be feeling the effects of the remedy soon.” 

I sat up more properly as Thranduil passed me his herbal remedy. A small twitch in his face told me that speaking about his wife brought him discomfort and I wondered if I ought to abandon the subject entirely. Then again, he asked me wwanted to know and if I didn’t ask him now then I might not get another opportunity. My grandmother once told me that curiosity was a sin, but all I wanted was to know the person whose kingdom I was a guest in. 

“What happened to her?” I asked quietly “I sometimes hear others talk about her as if she died long ago, but you speak of her as if it was only yesterday. I know your grief is still near and maybe that’s why you are so distant from others.”

“What does it matter to you?” Thranduil snapped “Why are you so invested in my private affairs?” 

I had anticipated Thranduil’s reaction, but to my surprise, his sharp words stung. 

“You offered me a home when I had none.” I explained “I just want to understand and to know you better. You told me you could trust me, but how can I trust you if you still see me as an enemy? For the past few years, my country has been struggling and now we’re in a war where it’s impossible to know who is a friend or a foe. I don’t want that to be the case here.” 

Silence. 

Thranduil paced across the room with his hands behind his back in that slow, graceful way all elves did. It was as though they floated ever so slightly above the ground. His long cascading blonde hair glimmered as though it was as magical as he was. His face with its strong cheekbones were ageless and whenever his icy blue eyes looked at me, I was certain he could see the very essence of my soul. 

It was impossible for anyone to miss how attractive Thranduil was. 

All elves were utterly stunning, but Thranduil had a different air about him and I couldn’t quite explain it. 

I know what you’re thinking. “Millie Thomas fancies the elvenking.” but I  _ swear  _ I don’t. I’m just….fascinated by him. Wouldn’t you be if you found yourself in a strange land where magic exists and then a guest in his kingdom? Besides, even if we might never become friends, I truly did want him to at least trust me and to not see me as a threat. 

“My wife’s name was Mithiel.” Thranduil began, “We grew up together as children in Doriath. She was older than me by a few centuries and after the destruction of Beleriand, she fled with the remaining members of our kin. My father became the first king of the woodland realm, which back then was known as Greenwood the Great, before the darkness infected it with its sickness. My father was eventually killed in the battle of Dagorlad, one of the great alliances of men and elves that this world has ever seen. After his death, I became king and by then, Mithiel and I had been lovers for nearly five-hundred years. We married and not long after, she gave birth to our son Legolas. For a long time, we were happy together but in those days, darkness began to spread throughout Middle-Earth and we often fought the forces with whom we share these woods.” 

“The spiders?” I asked “Or something else?” 

“There are far worse things in this world than spiders, Millicent Thomas. Orcs are some of the most vile creatures born out of the darkness and back then, they were growing in numbers. Tauriel, my former captain of the guard had long since been tracking an orc pack causing trouble in our land. My wife was away on a visit to Rivendell, where she had friends and on the way back, she was caught in an ambush. Her guards were killed immediately, but I suspect they wanted her death to be painful because they knew who she was. You see, orcs poison their blades and arrows so that when they pierce through your skin, the poison has already started working. If you’re human, it will kill you within seconds. In fact, I believe Queen Maggie’s brother was killed by an orc arrow at the battle of Pellenor fields a few years ago. Mithiel was brought home and, by pure chance Lord Elrond was visiting at the time, but not even his healing skills could help her. She died only hours later, in my arms. Something with which you have experience, I believe? Charles died in your arms, did he not?” 

I must have had quite the expression on my face, because Thranduil’s glance flickered away from me, almost as if he was ashamed. I had told him about Charlie dying, but I’d never told him that he died in my arms when I found him, clinging onto the last bit of life. 

“How did you know….?” I asked as my voice quivered “I never told you that part.” 

“During your first nightmare, I saw a glimpse of your dream.” Thranduil explained. “I saw you holding Charles as you tried to revive him, moments before he died.”   
  
“Is this something that elves do? See the private parts of people’s worst nightmares without permission?”   
  
“Some of us have these gifts and sometimes we can’t control them.”

“Is this the first time you’ve seen my dreams?” 

I only needed to see the look in Thranduil’s eyes to know the answer. He had seen it more than once and even though he said it was an accident, perhaps that was the case the first time. Most of the time over the past few days, I’d been out cold and it was easy for him. 

“How many times was it truly an accident?” I asked although the silence was already enough of an answer. “What gives you the right? You said I could trust you but yet, you took advantage while I was in my weakest state.” 

“You must understand,” Thranduil began “I was curious and it was clear that you did not want to speak about Charlie. I allowed my curiosity to get the better of me and I apologise.”

Too late. 

“How can I possibly trust you, if it is so easy for you to completely disregard the feelings of others! At least I had the courtesy of asking about your wife.” I snapped “Perhaps the others are right about you.” 

A new emotion appeared on the elvenking’s face. One I hadn’t seen before. 

Regret. 

“Millicent, please---”

  
“Leave.” I demanded “I don’t want to talk to you, let alone be your friend.” 

I thought Thranduil was going to protest because he opened his mouth, but then promptly closed it and silently walked out of my bedroom. 

* * *

Thranduil and I avoided each other over the next couple of weeks. I was grateful to be fully recovered from the infection but my heart was heavy with sadness. Upon finding out about what Thranduil had done, I felt so betrayed and violated that I couldn’t look him in the eyes. Those final moments with Charlie was one of the worst memories of my life and incredibly private. I had told Thranduil the story, thinking he would respect it and perhaps trust me to open up a bit more. Now, I regretted asking him about his wife because for one foolish second I thought that maybe he had a heart after all. 

What bothered me the most was how much this affected me. 

I was a stranger in Thranduil’s house. He kept me here out of politeness and pity, not because he wanted a friend. I had become friends with Aerin, Gwydion, Hallath and some of the other elves during my stay and I was happy about that, but I knew I couldn’t stay there forever. I liked Middle-Earth but it wasn’t my home. 

My home was on fire. 

I didn’t even know if there was a London to get back to, if the Germans had won the war. There was nothing for me back home. No family, barely any friends that would miss me and no Charlie.    
  
I was on my own. 

Not to mention there was no sign of this Gandalf the Wizard and I was beginning to think he would never show up, so no matter how I looked at things, I was stuck in Middle-Earth. 

The way I saw it, I had two choices. I could wallow in my own misery over Thranduil’s betrayal or I could carry on with my life here. I didn’t have to interact with him and he did a good job at not acknowledging my existence, which worked fine for me. Most days, I spent time with either Gwydion or followed Hallath when he went out on a daily patrol. He told me about the land and taught me a little bit about the various animals and creatures that lived in Mirkwood. If I ever got lost for some reason, he showed me how to find my way back and what landmarks to look out for. Sometimes, he took me to Dale so that I could spend some time with Lady Signe, who had become a good friend. When his patrol was done, he would pick me up and then we returned to Mirkwood. 

On more than one occasion, Signe wondered if it wasn’t better for me to stay with them in Dale and I really did consider it. Truthfully, I wasn’t sure why I didn’t take her offer. It made the most sense. Yet, I found myself strangely drawn to Mirkwood and couldn’t help but feel I somehow belonged there. 

Halfway through my third month in Mirkwood, at the beginning of December I sat at my desk, writing down notes in my journal. It had become a routine pastime of mine and I followed Mr Grayham’s advice to write down my story, in case it mattered to anyone. Earlier that day, I’d heard Hallath discussing receiving visitors to Mirkwood and I was intrigued because Thranduil made it well known that he didn’t like visitors much. I wasn’t about to ask him, though. It was sometime in the early evening when I heard footsteps heading towards my bedroom and at first I thought it was Aerin bringing me my evening meal, but it was a little early. The sound of three careful knocks reached my ears and I didn’t recognise them. My curiosity grabbed me by the shoulders and I when I turned around I was met by an unexpected sight. 

A young woman carefully opened the door and walked in. The first thing that surprised me was that she was human and around my age, give or take a few years. Her wavy raven hair rested comfortably on her shoulders and I also noticed a few beaded braids in her hair. She  had kind, chestnut coloured eyes and wore a long green dress that was elegant but not too dramatic. 

“Millicent, right?” she asked politely but it was clear she already knew the answer. “My name is Maggie, I’m a….friend of Thranduil.” 

I immediately realised this must be the Queen Maggie of Erebor, whom I’d heard so much about. The human woman who had married a dwarven king, which seemed strange to me but then again, many things in Middle-Earth were. 

“Why did you hesitate when you said friend?” I asked, not meaning to sound accusatory but it stood out to me as strange. 

“Thranduil and I have a….shall we say complicated relationship.” Maggie explained “He is a good friend of my partner and his son is also a close friend of mine. However, Thranduil and I have always struggled to see eye to eye on...well  _ everything _ .. He’s very...” 

“Difficult?” 

“Ah, so you’ve picked up on that. I’ll have to let Elrond know that it’s not just me.” 

A slight chuckle escaped my lips and I found myself relaxing. Even though we had only been talking for a few moments, I already liked Maggie. I knew she was the queen of Erebor but she didn’t look like any queen I’d seen and wasn’t what I’d imagined. Most other humans I had met in Middle-Earth were almost medieval in the way they acted and spoke, but not Maggie. 

“Something’s different about you, you’re not like the others.” I said “You speak differently, almost like I do but not quite. You’re not from here, are you?” 

“Thranduil did say you were very sharp.” Maggie said “No, I’m not from here. There’s no easy way of phrasing this, but my friends and I are from your world. Although I understand there are some significant changes. What year is it, where you’re from?” 

Maggie’s statement took me by complete surprise. I couldn’t believe what I’d just heard. She was from my world? From Earth? How was that even possible? Then, another thing struck me and I felt my cheeks burning hot with anger. Thranduil must have known all this time that Maggie was from my world, but still he chose to keep it from me and keep me here when I could have spoken to someone else all along? 

“1940, what else would it be?” I said, almost fearing her answer. 

The look in Maggie’s eyes changed and I suddenly felt worried.

“1940, huh?” she said calmly as she leaned against the wall next to my desk. That would explain why you’re so afraid of the Germans.”

“You’re not?” I asked “Where are you from?” 

“Not so much where, as when. I was born in Cardiff in 1993. The first time my brother and I found ourselves in Middle-Earth was almost seven years ago, by our time.”

“What do you mean?”

A sigh escaped Maggie’s lips as she was trying to figure out how to explain it to me. I’d rather she but it bluntly though.    


“Time flows differently between our worlds, Millicent.” she explained “My brother and I were sent home after our first quest in Middle-Earth, albeit not by our choice. We spent a year at home between 2018-2019 and when we suddenly came back to Middle-Earth, 60 years had passed. That’s now 67 years ago.” 

I could feel my jaw hit the ground. 

“That's not possible.” I whispered “Such things aren’t possible.”

“After everything you’ve witnessed so far, is that what you truly believe?” Maggie asked 

“......no.  Why are you here, Maggie?” 

“Thranduil wrote me a letter a little while ago, which surprised me more than anything, let me tell you.” Maggie began “He told me about you and asked if I would come to visit because I gather things have been difficult.” 

I snorted and I wondered exactly what Thranduil had told Maggie in his letter. I wasn’t angry with her at all, I believed she genuinely wanted to reach out and I was beyond happy to have someone who knew what it was like. 

“What did he do?” Maggie asked gently “In all the years that I’ve known Thranduil, he has never once reached out to me. Least of all because he wants help. He is a proud and damned stubborn elf who would sooner rather die than admit his own mistakes. Honestly, I’ve never seen him care about anything other than himself and his son, so it makes me wonder what he did to seek help.” 

“It’s a bit of a long story.” I replied 

“I have time, why don’t you start at the beginning?” 

I nodded and then found myself retelling my story to Maggie from my last day at work to my falling out with Thranduil. She listened intently without interrupting and I saw both curiosity and empathy in her eyes. I instantly liked Maggie and I was glad to share my story with somebody who understood and who had seemingly been through the same thing. 

Perhaps there was some light after all. 

**_To be continued……_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **_Another chapter! I think this is the longest one I’ve written! This is a little bit of a crossover with my other fics set in the same AU. You don’t have to have read them to understand what’s going on but if you do it starts with “Castaways” and the continues with “Mélamar” and “All Bonds of Fellowship”._ **
> 
> **_What did you think about this chapter? Did Thranduil’s wife’s story make sense? I tried to look up some information about his backstory, but his wife is never named in Tolkien’s works so I made that one up. Are Thranduil and Millie going to make up and be friends? I’d love to hear your thoughts so please leave a review!_**


	10. Confrontation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which things begin to get interesting....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Happy Friday! Weekend means a new update! Usually, this chapter is from Thranduil’s point of view, but I decided to write it from Millie’s again because she had more things to say! Thank you for all the reviews so far! Someone told me that I don’t have the right understanding of Middle-Earth to write the elves justice, but I’m doing my best and I grew up reading Tolkien, as well as watching the movies. However, this is an AU based on a series I’ve been writing for years so I hope you guys will still like it. Let me know what you think? 
> 
> I will tell you now, and if you’ve read my other fics in this series, there are relationship structures involved that are not canon and maybe not conventional to a lot of people, but I feel it’s important to have representation no matter what you write. 

**Chapter Ten**

_ Confrontation  _

I couldn’t even begin to explain how excited it was to have Maggie in Mirkwood. Not only because she was human and a woman, but because she was from my world. Albeit a different time, which took some time getting used to, but I had a feeling that I’d have to get used to a lot more stranger things if I was to accept my life here. Maggie was a breath of fresh air, and 

I woke up to loud, arguing voices and it took me a few moments to ascertain who they belonged to. The first voice was Maggie’s and something had made her angry. Her welsh accent bounced between the walls of the palace and I noted it certainly became a stronger accent when she was angry. At first, I wondered what had made her blood boil, but when I realised that the second voice belonged to Thranduil, I only sighed. Things had certainly been slightly less awkward between us over the past few days and with Maggie around, I was able to relax more and be myself. Perhaps I had overreacted a few nights ago and maybe I ought to speak with Thranduil about that in private. I was still a little hurt, but more than anything I realized I was clinging onto Charlie’s memory because I was afraid of letting it go. It was as if sharing him with someone else meant I had to accept that he was really gone, rather than keeping him preserved in an untouched memory within my mind. I couldn't help but wonder what Thranduil would think of my explanation. It was impossible to sleep with the argument going on, so I put on a sort of night-robe the elf-maidens had gifted me and carefully sneaked out my bedroom door. 

I sat atop the stairs, like a child eavesdropping in on their parents as I watched the argument play out beneath me. 

“You ask me here to help you and yet you treat me like I am a criminal!” Maggie said, I could tell she was trying to keep her calm “Look, I get it, my opinions don’t matter as much because I’m human.” 

“ _ Meleth-nin…. _ ” Elrond said “Let us not judge hastily.”

“No, Elrond. I am  _ tired  _ of being treated as if I’m less worthy because I am not elf-kind. What the hell was even the point of asking me here, if he is just going to disregard what I say and mock me?”

“But you are  _ not  _ elf-kind, you do not understand our struggles…” Thranduil reminded her 

A part of me realised that Thranduil wasn’t trying to be intentionally mean, something about how his gaze shifted revealed that information. In a way, he was also right - how could humans possibly understand the life of elves? Appearances and pointy ears aside, elves were entirely different beings, at least in my understanding. From the first moment I entered this realm, I got the sense that they were sort of ethereal in a way that I couldn’t quite explain. In our world, perhaps they might have been seen as angels of sorts, with powers beyond what our mind could comprehend. I had only witnessed a small amount of that power and I was almost scared to think how else it could reveal itself. I immediately understood that Elrond was such an ancient, even though he did not look it, I knew he was ancient. Something about the way he carried himself and the way he spoke was different from the Mirkwood elves, he was a bit less reserved and seemed to understand humans differently than Thranduil. 

“No of course, forgive me. I’d forgotten all about the struggles of poor  _ hir-Thranduil _ who sits alone upon his throne and rules his woodland kingdom with a damned iron fist.” Maggie said  _ Hir-Thranduil  _ who so desperately wants to be respected by others, yet lacks the grace and humility to accept the flaws that make us who we are. God forbid I should understand the struggles of poor  _ hir-Thranduil _ , who thinks life is unfair because he cannot learn how to love with his heart of stone.”

In one swift movement, I watched as Elrond stood between Maggie and Thranduil. I saw the fire in Maggie’s eyes, while Thranduil’s eyes turned black for one split second. At that moment, I was terrified of him and anyone else would have been too. Yet, Maggie stood unmoved and barely seemed to blink while Thranduil was right in her face. I’d known from the beginning that she was a queen, but that was when I truly realised it. 

Eventually, Thranduil’s eyes returned to their blue shade and the king took a few steps back, with his hands behind his back as always. Elrond relaxed and the tension faded. I exhaled a breath I didn’t even realise I’d been holding and when I did, I saw Elrond meet my eyes and as they did, my pulse quickened. 

“Might I suggest that we return to the subject matter at hand? Without bloodshed.” Elrond proposed, diplomatically as seemed to be his nature. “There is no word of Gandalf, not even Radagast the Brown knows of his whereabouts. I suspect that he does not wish to be found, as is usually the ways of wizards.” 

“Do you think it’s possible that he’s somehow involved in this?” Maggie asked “Bringing Millie here? It wouldn’t be the first time he’s known of similar things and after all, don’t the Ístari serve the Valar? They were responsible for bringing me and the others here the first time, so it’s not too far-fetched to believe they sent Millie here too.”

Valar. 

I’d heard that name being mentioned before. I didn’t know exactly what they were, but from the way Thranduil, Elrond and Maggie spoke about them, it seemed as though they were more powerful than even the elves.

That, if anything, was something that truly scared me. 

“For what purpose?” Thranduil wondered, his frustration was clear. “There is no war beckoning or grand quest to complete. Our world is at peace, so why would they send her here, to my kingdom?” 

“Beats me,” Maggie said “But they must have a reason, they always do, even though it isn’t always clear.”   
  
“Perhaps that  _ is  _ young Millicent’s quest?” Elrond suggested, “To understand her purpose in Middle-Earth. I have a feeling that until her task is complete, she will be unable to return home.” 

Something changed in Maggie’s expression and I saw her eyebrows furrow as she turned to Elrond, with her arms cross over her chest. 

“You’ve had a vision haven’t you?” she realised. “You have that look in your face. What did you see?” 

“You know as well as I do, my love, that it is not for me to share.” Elrond said calmly “As the vision is regarding Millicent, she is the only one with a claim to it.” 

I knew then that Elrond had spoken directly to me, even if Maggie and Thranduil were unaware. I had to admit that I was a little apprehensive about seeking him out alone, but I was curious about this vision. 

“What do you propose we do in the meanwhile, _ mellon-nin _ ?” Thranduil asked “Simply wait around for this purpose to reveal itself?” 

“Actually, I had an idea about that.” Maggie replied “Millie mentioned that she wanted to see a little more of Middle-Earth and I told her that if she wanted, she would be welcome to visit Erebor. Yuletide and winter solstice is coming up in a few weeks and nobody should have to spend those holidays alone. Besides, Erebor will be really busy and my friends will be visiting. It might be good for Millie to spend time with more humans like her and so that she can see that this world isn’t so scary.”

It was true, Maggie had invited me to visit Erebor and I was really considering it. Something she had said about how people shouldn’t spend Christmas alone stuck with me though. Did elves celebrate Christmas or Yuletide? Would Thranduil be spending it alone? 

“And you think spending weeks dwelling under a  _ mountain  _ is a good way to show her that?” Thranduil scoffed “Absolutely not! That mountain is not safe, dragon or no dragon.” 

“You had better think carefully about your next words, Thranduil.” Maggie warned “That is my kingdom and my husband’s kin you are insulting.” 

I saw fire stirring in Maggie’s eyes again but with one look from Elrond, the tension once again faded. One day, I reminded myself, I would ask her about the real reason why she and Thranduil did not get along.

“I believe that is an excellent idea.” Elrond agreed “A change of scenery might do Millicent some good, and she would be well-looked after in Erebor. If she doesn’t like it, she can always return to Mirkwood. Now, it is getting late and I believe a good night’s rest will do us all some good. Shall we agree to bury the hatchets for one more night, at least?” 

Thranduil and Elrond were polar opposites of each other. For one thing, Elrond had a sense of humour that the king of Mirkwood sorely lacked. Or at least, if he had it, I certainly hadn’t noticed it. Elrond was also much softer and seemed to trust others easier than Thranduil. Despite their differences and even despite Thranduil’s clear dislike for Maggie, it was obvious to me that the two elven kings were great friends and had been so for thousands of years. Over the past few days, I’d come to hold a great deal of respect for Elrond. I appreciated his honesty and his diplomatic reasoning. He took no sides and presented facts as they were, but he was also caring. At the end of the conversation, both Maggie and Thranduil walked off in different directions and when the throne room was empty, Elrond was still there. 

“It is quite safe to come down now,” Elrond assured her “We shall not be interrupted.” 

Carefully, I walked down the spiralling wooden staircase and finally met Elrond in the middle of the throne room. 

“Is it true that you have visions?” I asked “What kind of vision do you see?”    
  
“Sometimes they will show me things that are to come and sometimes things that have passed in order to understand the present. Would you like to see your vision?” 

Did I really want to see it? I was only just beginning to understand magic and I was frightened of how my perception and understanding of things might change if I delved further into the magic of this world. Strangely, something pulled inside me and I found myself with little choice but to accept Elrond’s offer. The elf-lord of Rivendell already knew I had accepted and reached out his hand towards me. When I accepted it, the whole world fell away beneath my feet…..

_ …..Elrond’s vision was like a different images fleeting by at an impressive speed. At first, I saw myself back at the hospital in London, talking with Mr Grayham, but something was different about his appearance. His words of warning on the night of the bombs echoed in my mind and I knew then that he had known all along about what would happened… _

_....In the next moment, I found myself in a giant kingdom of stone. From what I had heard I could only assume that this was Erebor. I was running through the dark hallways and all around me, I hear voices whispering. I came to the end of a corridor and saw Thranduil, looking at me with icy blue eyes. His hands reached out towards me, but as they did, the vision changed again.  _

_ ….This time, I knew immediately that I was in the past. Thranduil had told me about the day his wife passed away in his arms, but seeing it happen before me was almost more than I could bear. This was a different Thranduil than the one I had come to know. I saw the tears streaming down his eyes and I could almost feel his heartache burn inside me. A promise from him that he would never love anyone again. Then suddenly, the doors closed in front of me and when I turned around I was back in Mirkwood.  _

_ ….This time, I was running through the forest and I knew something was chasing me and when I tripped over an ancient tree root, I knew I was done for. Just as the beast was about to jump over me, the world fell away beneath me again and as I plunged into darkness, I heard fragments of different conversations echoing around me. _

_ “I don’t know how you have so much patience with that Elf.”  _

_ “It’s not easy, that’s for sure.”  _

_ “You can’t die! I won’t let that happen! You are stronger than this!”  _

_ “Millicent, there is something I have been wanting to tell you….”  _

Just like that, the visions ended and I found myself kneeling on the floor. The palms of my hands touched the cold floor, as if to assure myself I was holding onto reality. I looked up at Elrond who offered a hand to help me up, and then he gently wiped away tears that I hadn’t realised were streaming down my face to begin with. My heart was still racing and I had so many questions to ask, but I knew I wouldn’t get the answers from Elrond because he was only a messenger. 

“For as long as I have known Thranduil, his heart has only ever been opened to one person.” Elrond said “It seems as though that now, perhaps this is changing and maybe that is your quest.” 

“I don’t understand any of this.” I whispered and I realised how frightened I truly was. “I know that Thranduil and I have both lost people we loved but…why does that mean I have to be the one to get him to trust again?” 

“I am afraid that that is one questio, Millicent Thomas, which I cannot answer for you.” 

I knew Elrond was right.    
  
And I also knew what I had to do. 

* * *

I was either brave or stupid. 

In the nearly four months that I had resided in Mirkwood, I had never once knocked on the door to 

“Enter.”

The words were spoken like a command in such a way that only a king could. At first, I was apprehensive but eventually I convinced myself to face my fears and pushed open the wooden doors to Thranduil’s chambers. I wasn’t sure what I expected, but the first thing that surprised me was how remarkably cozy his bedroom was. It was almost like a small cottage with several bookshelves in a row, a roaring fireplace crackling and an armchair in the corner. Thranduil himself sat at his desk and seemed to be writing down something that looked like journal entries. That was the second thing that surprised me and I wasn’t entirely sure why.    
  
“I’m sorry, I know it’s late and that this is unusual.” I said, realising how nervous I was. “If this is a bad time, I’ll come back. Or not.” 

“No. It is quite alright.” Thranduil said as he shifted his weight and turned to me. His body language changed and I could swear he looked nervous. “What is on your mind?” 

I walked further into the room and the large doors closed behind me. Being alone with Thranduil in his private sphere felt strange and surreal. I was incredibly self-conscious of every twitch and movement of my body. Instead of continuing to sit down, Thranduil stood up and carefully walked closer to me, but was still sure to keep a distance. 

“I spoke with Maggie earlier and I’ve been thinking.” I began, painfully aware of my voice shivering. Why on Earth was I so nervous? “I think I will take her up on her offer.” 

“You wish to visit Erebor?” Thranduil realised “Is that correct?” 

“Yes, for a while at least.” I nodded “I think I need to be with other people...no offence. Maggie and her friends, they’re like me. Not just because they’re human but because they’re from my world.”

Silence. 

Thranduil was excellent at making silence feel like sharp nails digging into your skin. I could tell a question was at the tip of his tongue, but it was almost as if he was too afraid to ask it. It was almost laughable; King Thranduil was frightened.

“Does this have anything to do with what happened a few weeks ago?” Thranduil finally asked “I understand that you are angry with me, because I clearly intruded on something very personal to you. Please know though, that it was never my intent to cause you hurt, but if I did, I am truly sorry.” 

If I was completely honest, I was utterly dumbstruck. King Thranduil did not strike me as an elf who easily admitted his flaws, or let alone apologised for them. Yet, the words that had escaped his lips were nothing but sincere. I couldn’t help but wonder how often in that past millenia or so, Thranduil had actually apologised to anyone. 

“There’s no need to apologise,” I said “I overreacted and there was no need. I have a tendency to be a little protective about Charlie’s memory. To be honest with you, the reason why I don’t talk much about him is because it makes his passing more real. I keep thinking that if I preserve his memory, then he won’t fade.”

I shook my head as if to cast those thoughts out of my mind and cleared my throat. 

“Anyway, I just thought I would let you know of my decision.” I continued, “If that is alright with you, of course. I know you and Maggie don’t exactly see eye to eye.” 

“You heard the argument?” Thranduil asked and for a moment I saw a hint of embarrassment in his eyes 

“It was impossible not to.” I teased “This place does echo. Are you really worried about my safety in Erebor? I don’t think Maggie will let anything happen to me and Lady Signe only had good things to say about Fili.”

I heard a sceptical ‘humph’ from Thranduil and that was all the answer I needed. He didn’t trust the dwarves and he certainly didn’t like Maggie, yet he had asked her to come here. 

“Would it make you feel better if perhaps you came with us?” I suggested “I think maybe the change of scenery would do everyone some good and it might give you a chance to actually get to know Maggie.”   
  
“I highly doubt that King Fili would be too happy about that.” Thranduil chuckled “His Uncle Thorin and I were not good friends.”   
  
“That’s in the past though, isn’t it? Almost 70 years ago, as I understand it. I know it isn’t my place to say, but maybe it’s time to put old grudges behind you.” 

I could tell that Thranduil was conflicted. He paced back and forth in the room and said nothing for a few minutes, until he turned and walked up to me. This time, he was standing much closer than he had before and I could hear my heart beating louder, especially as I thought about Elrond’s visions. 

“Is that what you would like?” the elf-king asked “For me to come with you to Erebor?” 

I nodded. While I really liked Maggie as a new friend, it would be nice to have another familiar face in Erebor. 

“Yes, I would. Although, I will understand if you’d rather stay here because---” 

“I should like to come,” Thranduil said “I will gladly accompany you.” 

I must have looked dumbstruck again because for a split second, I saw a smile tug at the elf-king’s lips. All I did was nod and then bid Thranduil goodnight as I returned to my bedroom, exhausted after the night’s events. 

* * *

“Okay so, let me get this right.” Maggie said in disbelief “ _ You _ want to come  _ with us _ to Erebor and stay there? Willingly? With dwarves?” 

“Yes, I should like that.” Thranduil confirmed “Only by Your Majesties’ permission, of course.” 

The following day, I told Maggie that I had decided to take her up on her offer and as I did, Thranduil said that he also wanted to come with me. I watched as Maggie exchanged a confused glance with Elrond, who seemed greatly amused by the whole thing. Even though Elrond and. Maggie wasn’t the only one surprised by Thranduil’s wish to travel with us to Erebor, because from what I’d heard, the Mirkwood elves didn’t get along well with the dwarves. In the corner of my eyes, I caught Hallath’s rather surprised expression. 

“Sure, yeah, why not.” Maggie said “Stranger things have happened.”   


Elrond quietly cleared his throat. 

“What I mean to say is, you would be an honored and welcome guest in Erebor.” Maggie said “Both you and Millie. We will be delighted to have you.” 

“Excellent. I shall make arrangements and then we can discuss departure.” 

With that, Thranduil left and the conversation was over and I had a feeling that my life was about to become a lot more interesting. 

**_To be continued…._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **_Another chapter done! Rather a long one as well! Things are picking up speed now and are getting more excited! We’re off to Erebor! What do you think will happen? What does Elrond’s visions mean? Did I handle all the characters well? Please let me know what you thought!_ **


	11. Realisation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Thranduil has many questions...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Another chapter and a little earlier than usual! Thank you so much for the continued reviews/comments and kudos/likes! I’m thrilled to see that so many of you guys are enjoying it. Just a quick note before we dive into it, I know that in canon Elrond’s wife hasn’t died, but in this AU she did. Let me know what you think about the pacing? Would you rather romance happens quicker or should I keep it at the pace I’m keeping it?
> 
> Enjoy! 

**Chapter Eleven**

_ Realisations  _

I was a fool.

Yes, that was the only thing that made sense. Whyever else would I have so easily agreed to accompany Millicent to Erebor. It was utterly reckless. Maggie’s surprise was certainly warranted and Elrond’s amusement was as predicted. Perhaps I would need to speak with him before our departure, just as a precaution of what to expect. I had visited Erebor many times of course, but never as a welcomed guest and with that came certain expectations of my behaviour. 

It was indeed unfortunate that Millicent should have heard the argument between Maggie and I. I will admit that I was not proud of my initial reaction, but as Millicent has already found out, Queen Maggie and I have never been friends. Nor, I suspect, will ever be. I suppose I am partly to blame, I did lock her in my dungeon for a considerable amount of time when the company of Thorin Oakenshield was on their way to reclaim Erebor. Things were different back in those days but even I had to admit that Maggie had changed a lot since then and, just as I had, she had suffered through a great loss. Losing Thorin during the Five Armie had been hard on her and from what I had understood from Legolas and of Elrond, it also changed her. 

Regardless of my personal issues with Maggie, even I could tell that she had grown since her first arrival in Middle-Earth and the dwarves of Erebor seemed to have taken to her as a queen. Although, I still did not understand her arrangement with Fili and Elrond. It wasn’t unheard of for elves to become romantically entangled outside of our kin, Tauriel and Kili were a prime example of that. But a human being married to a dwarf and also having a partner in an elf was unheard of. Nevertheless, who was I to question affairs of the heart? Elrond was happy and what kind of friend would I be if I denied him his happiness? 

Perhaps, I was also jealous? Elrond had been able to move past the grief of losing his wife and found love again. Was Maggie right, after all? Had my heart turned cold as stone and made me unable to love? For over a thousand years, I’d become used to being alone and I didn’t seek companionship. Certainly not the romantic kind. 

Yet, Millicent Thomas still played on my mind and it deeply bothered me. She was unquestionably attractive and I found that I especially enjoyed her smile, which made her cheekbones all the more prominent. Her blonde hair had a natural waviness to it, which fell to just below her ears and complimented her emerald eyes. I had noticed that Aerin and some of the other elf-maidens had custom made clothes for her and I had to admit that elven dresses suited her. Since Maggie and Elrond’s arrival, I’d also heard Millicent laughing more often and she seemed to be coming into her own, as it were. Bringing Maggie and Elrond here, despite our initial troubles, was a wise choice. 

I just hoped that our stay in Erebor was equally as wise. 

* * *

Two days later, Elrond stood in my study, carrying a particularly smug grin on his face. 

“It will be a great diplomatic opportunity between your kin and the dwarves of Erebor.” Elrond said enthusiastically as he poured wine in a chalice and passed it to me. 

Elrond’s endless enthusiasm was a personality trait that could be infuriating. What was even more annoying was that Elrond was well aware of this and took it in his stride. Still, he had a point. Ever since the War of the Ring, building diplomatic relations to get our world back on track had been a priority and for the most part, things were going well. However, our relationship with the dwarves of Erebor has always been difficult, but now, in part thanks to Millicent, there may be a chance to change that. 

Gently, I stirred the chalice and inhaled the scent of the sweet, fruit wine which Elrond had brought with him from Rivendell. I recalled the days of our youth, where we would drink ourselves rather merry on wine and have not a care in the world. Back in those days, the world wasn’t covered in quite as much shadow. 

“So everyone keeps telling me,” I mumbled and took a sip of the wine, allowing the flavour to intensify in my mouth, before I swallowed. Elrond and his kin had always been exceptionally talented with winemaking. “Millicent heard the argument between Maggie and I.” 

“Yes, so I am aware.” Elrond acknowledged “I would not worry,  _ mellon-nin _ . Maggie will not turn Millicent against you, if that is what troubles you. In fact, I think perhaps this trip will be a chance for you and Maggie to work on your own friendship.”   
  
“Yes, so everyone keeps telling me.”

Millicent and Maggie had made such an instant connection that it was clear to me that if I wanted to become close with her, then I also needed to mend the broken bridge between Maggie and I. Then again, why did I want to become close with Millicent? The thought of being enamoured with a young human girl that I’d known barely four months was absolutely absurd. But I also knew that the thought of Millicent spending winter alone in Erebor caused a strange pain inside that I had not felt for a long time. 

Jealousy. 

I did not care for it.    
  
“I wonder, Elrond, how will King Fili take the news of my arrival?” I asked “He shares his wife’s opinion of me and with good reason, given the fate of his uncle and the events leading up to the battle of the Five Armies.”   
  
“Fili is a king now,” Elrond said plainly as he paced back and forth in my study “It is his duty to receive guests and not even he will push away the will of the Valar.” 

“You truly believe they have something to do with Millicent’s presence in Middle-Earth?” 

Elrond crossed his arms and as he furrowed his brows, I already knew what he was thinking. Truthfully, I was not certain what I believed. Like the rest of my kin, I was not one to question the will of the Valar, except in this case their will was absurdly unclear. As I studied Elrond, I knew that he had more knowledge in his possession than he was willing to part with. No doubt it had something to with this alleged vision regarding Millicent’s purpose here and I also knew that there was no way he would share such intimate details with me. Besides, Millicent had only just forgiven me for the last time I had intruded on her private affairs and I did not wish to repeat the same mistake. 

“I am surprised that you are reluctant to believe it.” Elrond said “Thranduil, we have been friends for many seasons and I do believe I know you well enough to tell you care for this girl. I am no fool, I have seen how you look at her.”

“Don’t be ridiculous!” I snapped “I am not some lustful  _ elfling  _ who is unable to control his emotions! Yes, she is rather aesthetically pleasing, I will admit as much and my kin have taken quite the liking to her, but I am not  _ you _ , Elrond!”

Damn. 

I had done it again. Allowed my temper to get the better of me. Hallath said it was a bad habit which sometimes made the others afraid of approaching me. A bad habit that had gotten worse over the years, but when I was around Millicent, I felt a calm that I had not felt in many years. I inhaled and then exhaled a deep breath and as I did Elrond put his hand on my shoulder and looked at me with familiar kind eyes. 

“You are afraid.” Elrond stated matter-of-factly “It is understandable, after all it has been quite some time since you opened your heart to anyone. I am not saying you are in love with her, but any fool with two eyes can see where yours are always looking. Nobody is forcing you to do anything, but could it hurt to explore?” 

He was right of course, the bastard. 

“How do you do it, Elrond?” I asked, “How are you able to so easily share Maggie with Fili?” 

I had always wondered, but I had also been too afraid to ask. Elrond was a private elf and did not like sharing his affairs of the heart, which was understandable. I had to admit that when I first found out about their arrangement, I did not think it would last for a second. After all, I had seen the jealousy between Legolas, Tauriel and Kili all those years ago. Yet, all these years later it seemed as though my initial prejudice had been misplaced. 

“Compersion came naturally,” Elrond explained “I love Maggie deeply and I wish for her happiness. Fili is a very dear friend and during the time Maggie was absent from this world, we raised Theo. Her marriage to Fili was a natural step for them, especially as I do not wish to be married again. We are happy and it matters little what others may think.” 

There it was again.

Jealousy. 

Because deep down, I knew that Elrond was right. 

* * *

We arrived at Erebor on a cold Tuesday morning in early december. I would never forget the look on Millicent’s face as she stood in front of the great entrance to the Lonely Mountain. Occasionally, I forgot that her world was vastly different from ours, but I had never taken time to ask about what those differences were. Perhaps, during our stay in Erebor, I would get a chance to ask. Compared to the last time I had visited Erebor, the mountain wasn’t cold or lonely at all. In fact, it was filled with light and life. It seemed as though dwarves from across Middle-Earth had taken residence within its great halls. Things had been very different the past few times I had visited the mountain and it certainly hadn’t had the vibrant atmosphere as it did now. 

“This is a  _ kingdom _ ?” Millicent asked as she carefully stepped over the threshold and her gaze darted around, trying to comprehend her new surroundings. “This is incredible.” 

“Oh, just you wait.” Maggie replied with a smile as she hooked Millicent’s arm and took the lead down the corridor. “It finally no longer smells of dragon.” 

“Dragon? There used to be a dragon here? Like an actual firebreathi---”

Millicent’s words were cut off by a loud shriek that pierced my ears and it didn’t take long before the sound of running footsteps reached my ears. Not far off in the distance, I saw the shape of a small child come running towards us. She was perhaps no older than five or so human years in appearance. She had blonde curly hair with several braids in them, and slightly pointed ears but her height was more human than dwarves. 

“Mummy!” she cried out excitedly “I’ve missed you!” 

“Hello darling! I’ve missed you too!” I watched as Maggie swooped up the small child into her arms. “Have you been good while we were away?” 

The small child buried her face in her mother’s shoulder and even I had to admit that she was a precious child. I could see Maggie’s resemblance in her, as well as Fili’s. She turned to me to with her eyes widened and then she tugged her mother’s hair, grabbing her face as if to turned her around. She then wriggled her way out of Maggie’s arms and hid behind her dress, as children often did. 

“Mummy!” she whispered “Who is that?”    
  
“Ah, introductions.” Maggie replied “This is King Thranduil of Mirkwood. He is the father of Legolas and a very old friend of your  _ ada _ .” 

“He looks scary.”   
  
“Eira.” Fili warned, although I could tell he was holding back a chuckle. “That is no way to greet a guest, please apologise to Thranduil.” 

Eira still hid behind Maggie, but after a little while she came forward and kept her eyes on the ground.

“I’m sorry.” she apologised “I didn’t mean to be mean.” 

I bent down so that I was almost at her height and greeted her with a smile. Contrary to popular belief, I did like children as all elves did. They were the light of our lives and always precious. I must admit though, that I was amused when I saw the surprise in Maggie and Fili’s eyes. 

“That is quite alright,  _ aier _ .” I assured her “No harm done and I’m quite honored to meet you. I have heard a lot about you from Elrond?” 

“Really?” Eira asked as her eyes lit up “ _ Ada _ told you about me?” 

“He did and he told me that you have a penchant for toys, is that right?” 

Eira nodded excited and I reached inside my robe for a small box wrapped in paper, which I had brought with me. 

“What is it?” Eira asked excitedly and then she turned to Fili “May I open it? Please  _ adad _ ?” 

“Well it would be rude not to.” Fili replied “I am also rather curious, I did not know Thranduil was so generous.” 

I noticed Maggie nudge Fili for his remark, but I paid him no nevermind. His scepticism of me was warranted, after all. I watched as Eira practically tore the wrapping open and then looked quizzically at the small wooden box, as she tried to figure out its meaning. She then saw the small metal cylinder and instantly worked out that if she turned it, something would happen. So, she turned the cylinder counter clockwise and when she had done so as far as it would go, she watched in awe as a soft melody began to play. Her blue eyes widened even more and she jumped around excitedly. 

“It plays music!” She cried out “Mummy look!” 

“Yes, I can see.” Maggie chuckled “Perhaps now would be a good time to say thank you to Thranduil?” 

Then, to mine and everyone else’s surprise. Eira threw her arms around me and I found myself utterly baffled. She held onto me as if I was a family member she had known all her life, rather than the stranger who she had been frightened off five minutes earlier. When she finally let go of me, I stood back up on my feet, ignoring Elrond’s amused eyes. 

“I believe we were doing introductions?” Fili said 

“Millie, this is my husband Fili and our daughter, Eira.” Maggie introduced 

“You are very welcome to Erebor, Millie.” Fili said “Please know that we’d like you to see it as a home for you as long as you would like.” 

“Thank you, your majesty.” Millie said

Fili waffed with his hand.  “Oh please, none of that.” he assured her “Fili will do just fine.”    


“Mummy,” Eira whispered although rather indiscretely as were the way of children ”Is she a princess?” 

“She rather looks like one, doesn’t she?” Maggie agreed “Come, I’ll show you to your rooms.” 

Perhaps, I thought, our stay here wouldn’t be so bad after all. 

* * *

Sometime later that evening, I had been taken to my room - a rather sizable room with a fireplace and oak bed at the center. Several bookcases along the wall and a study, not too dissimilar to my own room in Mirkwood. I had to admit that I was surprised by how different Erebor was and I thought that staying here for a weeks actually might do me some good. I knew dinner would be served within the hour or so, but seeing as I had some time to spare, I decided that I would go and make sure Millicent had settled in alright.

It was strange wandering these hallways as a guest, because in Thorin’s days, things had been quite different. I very much doubted I would be a welcome guest if Thorin had survived and Maggie was married to him instead of of Fili. 

My elven ears twitched as I caught the sound of voices coming from further down the corridor. Over the past few months, Millicent must have realised that elves had sharpened senses and sometimes, it still startled her but I could tell she was getting used to it. I carefully walked down the corridor to locate the specific room from which the conversation came and then stopped when the words of the conversation became clearer. There were three voices in the conversation; Maggie, Fili and Elrond. 

“ _ Would either of you care to explain exactly why King Thranduil is coming to stay in our mountain? _ ” I heard Fili ask, 

Despite previous appearances, as expected he was unhappy about my sudden presence in Erebor, even though he had been perfectly pleasant earlier. 

_ “Technically, I didn’t invite  _ him _ , I invited  _ Millie.” Maggie replied “ _ That poor girl is lost, scared and lonely. She’s been living with the Mirkwood elves and needs to see that the rest of this world is friendly. She needs to see other people and we’re from the same world. I mean...she’s from a different time period but that’s a different problem. I guess, maybe Thranduil just wants to make sure she is safe here. _ ”

I heard Elrond chuckle through the door. . 

“ _ Do you have something to say _ ?” Fili snapped “ _ By all means, do share, Elrond _ . ” 

“ _ No need to be quite so sharp,  _ mellon-nin.” Elrond mused “ _ Is it perhaps possible that young Millicent has lit a fire inside Thranduil, that has been out for quite some time _ ?” 

“ _ You think that that elf is capable of love? For a  _ human _? Or anyone other than his own reflection _ ?” 

“ _ I know Thranduil’s heart has been hardened over the years, but he does have feelings. Once upon a time he was very deeply in love with his wife. Since her death, he has been afraid of opening himself up to love because he thinks it makes him weak. Maybe, by staying here, with Millicent’s help, we can show him differently _ .” 

I could hear Fili’s annoyance, but I was also baffled. Their suggestions were obviously ludicrous. Did the Valar simply have nothing better to do than to send a seemingly random girl here, for my sake? It was beyond ridiculous. 

Even so, their sharps words about my lack of heart stung unexpectedly. Is that how Millicent also viewed me? 

“ _ You agree with thi _ s?” Fili asked 

Maggie spoke “ _ I do and it might also be a good opportunity to work on those diplomatic relations with the Mirkwood elves that we’ve been discussing at council meetings _ ?” 

“ _ I do not know why I bother asking questions to which I already know the answer. I suppose I will see you both at dinner, with our guests. I’ll ask Bombur to prepare a small feast _ .” 

With that, Fili stormed out. Thankfully and despite his dwarrow senses, he must have been too consumed by annoyance to notice I was there.  And just as before, I began to wonder if coming here was the right choice after all. 

**_To be continued…._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **_Things are starting to get a little interesting! Poor Thranduil conflicted and not knowing what to think. How was his interaction with Eira? I always felt that even though he is quite harsh, he still adores children. What do you think will happen in Erebor?_ **
> 
> **_Adad - khuzdul for father_ **
> 
> **_Ada - Elvish for father_ **
> 
> **_Aier - Little One_ **
> 
> **_Leave a comment/review please!_ **


	12. Questions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which there is a lot of drinking....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** I’m on a bit of a roll this week, so you guys get one more chapter! Happy Friday! 

**Chapter Twelve**

_ Questions  _

Erebor exceeded all my expectations. Admittedly, I wasn’t entirely sure what they were, but regardless I was beyond amazed. An entire kingdom carved out of stone in a mountain! I could never have imagined such a thing and nor have I heard of anything like it. There were certainly no such structures back in my world and if I ever got back, nobody would believe me. Then of course there were the dwarves or dwarrow as I was told they were also called. In my head, the dwarves I knew of back home were nothing like these dwarves and I was quite ashamed of my own prejudices. They were short in stature yes, but one thing that became instantly clear to me was that they were a proud people. Proud and incredibly friendly, contrary to Thranduil’s opinion. To him, dwarves were antagonists but over the past few days, I had found quite the opposite. Upon observing how Maggie interacted with Fili and the other dwarves of Erebor, it was clear to me how much family mattered to them. All dwarrow-kin were family, even if you weren’t necessarily related by blood. 

The first few days of our stay was a lot of introductions and I had a feeling I would certainly be mixing up a lot of the dwarves. Maggie introduced me not only to Fili and their daughter Eira, but also to her oldest child - Theo. Back in Mirkwood, she told me that at one point Maggie and her brother had been pulled out of Middle-Earth against their will and spent a year in our world before being cast back into Middle-Earth. In that time, 60 years had passed and so her son was now a grown man. I had to admit it was rather a shock because Theo himself was nearly 70 in dwarf years, yet looked as if he was perhaps in his early 30s, just like his mother. Theo also had a child of his own, with one of Maggie’s friends - Nat, a girl who was also from our world. From what I understood, Theo’s father was called Thorin Oakenshield and during Maggie’s first journey in Middle-Earth, she and her brother had helped Thorin and his company of dwarves reclaim Erebor from a terrible dragon. Unfortunately, Thorin died in battle and never got to see the birth of his son and while Maggie was absent from Middle-Earth, Theo was raised by Fili and Elrond. 

It was all a bit overwhelming at first but when I eventually got used to my new surroundings and seeing so many new faces, I was excited. Erebor was breathtaking and filled with vast tunnels to explore and mines where dwarves worked tirelessly day in and day out. There was a whole economic system that I just hadn’t comprehended before and it made me realise the true size of Middle-Earth and that the places I had seen was just a fraction of it. For the first time in months, I felt a sudden hunger for exploration and I wanted to see more. I enjoyed Mirkwood but Mirkwood was so different from these other amazing places. Maggie introduced me to a kind old dwarf called Óin, who had also been part of Thorin’s company. He spoke passionately about Rivendell, which was Elrond’s home and how magnificent it was and that if opportunity should present itself, I definitely needed to visit. 

After a couple of days, the initial apprehension between Thranduil and the dwarves eased off and he even began to relax. Young Eira had taken such a liking to the elvenking that she’d hardly left his side since our arrival. A fact that surprised everyone, even Thranduil himself and also myself. I wasn’t sure what I expected, but his gentle nature with children was also a surprise. No matter how many times Eira pestered him with questions and tugged at his robe for attention or climbed into his lap without consent at dinner, Thranduil made no unpleasant remarks or complained. Instead, he embraced it and allowed Eira her curiosity. Sometimes, I even saw a smile tug at his lips when he thought nobody else noticed. Thranduil’s way with Eira also seemed to have softened Maggie and Fili’s interaction with him. The other day, Fili approached Thranduil and invited him to sit in on a council meeting where his opinions on a particular matter would be greatly valued. 

Erebor wasn’t just the mountain though, there were areas outside the mountain with sort of an orchard where I was told Bombur grew apples used for the Yuletide mead. 

This was the first Christmas I would be spending alone without Charlie and I had been dreading it all year. Now, a bit of excitement was beginning to stir inside me, even though I had no idea what Christmas - or Yule rather - entailed in Middle-Earth. Did people give and receive gifts? Was I expected to give them as well? If that was the case, I was in trouble because I had nothing to give. Besides, what could I possibly offer that could equate to all the wonders of this world? Maybe I could pick Maggie’s brain about it at some point. I wanted to give Thranduil a gift as a way to show gratitude for hospitality and kindness. I was surprised to find myself a little disappointed at the lack of time I’d been able to spend with him. I’d hope that this visit to Erebor would be a way for us to get to know each other a little better. 

Of course I didn’t buy into the reason for my presence in Middle-Earth. Even if the Valar did exist, it was ridiculous to assume they had sent me for the purpose Elrond suggested. I was a healer by profession, but I couldn’t heal someone who didn’t want my help. Chances were that if I forced my help on Thranduil, he would respond by pushing me away, which appeared to be the way he responded to things he did not want to deal with. 

Strangely enough, I didn’t want him to push me away. I finally felt like we were making real progress in our friendship...if you could call it that. I actually even enjoyed his company. Sometimes, at dinner or other social occasions like in one of the great libraries, I caught him looking at me. Sometimes, his eyes were filled with a simple and centered calm as he stirred a chalice of whatever he happened to be drinking at the time. Sometimes, it was with curiosity as if he was trying to understand me. Then, when somebody spoke or said his name, the moment was broken and all returned to normal, except I was left with a strange fluttering sensation in my heart. 

It was ridiculous of course. 

I was a grown woman, not some schoolgirl who couldn’t control her emotions. I had only known true love once and that was the man I thought I would marry. After Charlie died, I’d sworn to myself that I would never love anyone again. Doing so would betray his memory and that was the last thing I wanted. 

Yet, Thranduil played on my mind and it bothered me deeply. I couldn’t even quite put my finger on what it was, but seeing him actually trying to enjoy the company of others instead of wallowing in his own self-pity and misery made me see him in another light.

At dinner a couple of hours ag, Eira had once again climbed onto his lap and demanded all of his attention, like children often did. Usually, she would go back to her mother or fathers, but this time she fell asleep in Thranduil’s arms. Maggie offered to take her daughter to bed, but Thranduil told her to stay and that he would be delighted to tuck Eira into bed. Even I was surprised when neither Fili nor Maggie objected to his offer. I supposed being married and having royal duties meant that there wasn’t always as much time available to spend with each other and I could tell that even Fili was grateful as he gave Thranduil a thankful nod. 

It was obvious that Fili loved his wife and that Maggie very much loved her husband. At first, her arrangement between Elrond and Fili seemed strange to me, but after having spent the past week in their company it was nothing but natural. However, I did catch a bit of tension lingering in the air and while I didn’t necessarily think Thranduil was the cause of it, his presence was certainly a part of it. More than anything, it was a case of tension between Fili and Elrond, but I didn’t think it was anything to do with jealousy regarding Maggie. This was something else. Elrond struck me as a calm and collected elf who seldom lost his cool, but on one occasion I’d heard him have rather a loud argument with Fili and the following day I’d heard similar loud voices between Maggie and Fili. 

That’s why I wasn’t all too surprised when, following dinner, I heard a gentle sobbing echoing through the long corridor. It only took a few minutes after I followed the sound that I found Maggie, sitting on the edge overlooking the enormous treasure horde of the mountain. It was strange to think that a dragon had once kept this place hostage as his own kingdom and guarded its gold with fierce anger. 

“Maggie? Whatever’s the matter?” I asked carefully as I approached her “You’ve been arguing with Fili?” 

“How do you know?” she sniffed “I’m so sorry, that’s really insensitive of us.”    
  
“It is a _mountain_. It _does_ echo.” 

A slight chuckle escaped Maggie’s lips as she wiped the tears with the sleeve of her blue dresses. Her eyes were red from crying and her dress stained with the tears. I sat down next to her and passed her a handkerchief that I always kept on my person. 

“Fili and I have been trying for another baby.” Maggie admitted “Except it hasn’t really been working out so far and these days it seems like we hardly have any time to spend together. Every time we try, something happens or there’s an emergency or Eira wants out attention.” 

“And then a girl from the 1940s magically drops into your life from out of nowhere? Doesn’t make it easier I bet.” 

We both laughed now and it seemed to ease her crying a little. Maggie was a strong woman, but she didn’t strike me as somebody who so easily shared such deeply personal and intimate information with someone she barely knew. Nor did she strike me as somebody who let her guards down and cried easily. Her and Thranduil certainly had that in common and perhaps that was also why they were often at odds with each other. 

“Please don’t think any of this is on you. We love having you here and Eira adores you.” Maggie said “It’s just hard sometimes. This whole being a queen--wife-mother-partner thing. There’s not exactly a manual for it and even though it’s been so many years, I sometimes forget that Middle-Earth is so different from our world. Sometimes I miss it awfully and then I feel so guilty.”   


“Am I right in thinking that you and Elrond have not been having the same problems finding time for intimate moments?” I asked, aware that I was wading into territory that wasn’t quite mine. 

Maggie nodded. “Usually it’s never a problem. Fili has never been jealous and I’m really lucky in that regard because, by and large our relationship is perfect. It’s just different because Elrond can just decide to leave Rivendell for a few months at a time and leave it in the hands of Glorfindel or Erestor. Whereas here, it’s not quite that simple. I just wish we had more time together with all three of us. Four of us with Eira, of course. So, my husband is angry with my partner, and my partner can’t seem to understand why, which makes him frustrated with my husband.” Maggie explained “And I am stuck in the middle trying to mediate between the two, so that Fili doesn’t end up bringing down the whole damn mountain in rage.” 

I really felt for Maggie because her frustration was so clear. I wish I had better advice to offer, but I couldn’t help but feel like I was out of my depth here. 

“Theo is next in line to the throne isn’t he?” I asked “Couldn’t he help take the weight off you and Fili while you spend some time in Rivendell with Elrond? Unless it wouldn’t work, of course, in which case ignore me.”

“Actually, that’s a great idea.” Maggie replied “We’ve been talking about potentially helping Theo with the transition into king, but never had a moment to really do anything about. Maybe this would be a small step to start with. Thank you, it hadn’t even crossed my mind.” 

Maggie exhaled a sigh and I was glad to have been of some assistance, even though it was only a simple suggestion. 

“This world is so strange sometimes.” I said “And you’re a remarkable woman. I mean, you’re a mother, a wife, a queen, a partner and a friend. Even to those who sometimes don’t deserve your friendship.” 

“Is Thranduil giving you grief?” Maggie wondered 

My silence and the evident flush on my cheeks must have given away my answer, because Maggie laughed again and I felt embarrassed. 

“I just don’t understand him or any of this.” I replied 

“He’s not very good at communicating feelings.” Maggie said “Because he spent a long time convincing himself that he didn’t have any. “

The sound of echoing footsteps reached my ears and from the shadows of the corridor behind us, another familiar face emerged. Another person Maggie had introduced her to was Nat. One of her friends who had also arrived with her in Middle-Earth. There were four of them apparently, but they all lived in different places across Middle-Earth now. Another bizarre thing to get used to; that people from our world had clearly ventured her yet nobody else back home had a single clue of its existence. Nat walked towards us carrying three tankards and a metal carafe of what I assumed was wine. 

“There you guys are! I’ve been looking for you!” Nat exclaimed excitedly “I come bearing gifts!” 

“You always were the wine fairy.” Maggie teased “How is my grandson?” 

Nat perched on the ledge between myself and Maggie as she passed me a tankard and filled it with wine. If I’d learned one thing over the past few days, it was the dwarrow were incredibly talented when it came to creating alcoholic beverages. And, I’d both heard and witnessed that they were even more talented at consuming them. Yuletide was apparently an occasion when everyone tended to let their hair down and indulge in all the luxuries that came with the season. 

“Fast asleep, you should have seen Theo singing him to sleep.” Nat said “My heart literally cannot cope with the cuteness.” 

“Theo is very good with children.” Maggie told her “He gets that from his father.”

I kept hearing about Thorin Oakenshield and I wanted to ask more about him. The fact that Maggie had also lost someone she used to love gave us something in common, and maybe she could understand my conundrum regarding Thranduil. 

“I still can’t believe you’re a grandmother when your son is nearly twice your age.” I remarked and hiccuped, realising I’d swallowed the wine too quickly. 

“That one takes time getting used to, believe me.” Maggie said 

Nat refilled our tankards with wine and I gave myself a mental reminder to slow down. Both dwarrow and elvish alcohol, I had found out, was deceitfully strong and much more so than any alcohol back at home. It wasn’t just another pint at the pub. Still, I enjoyed the company of Nat and Maggie and felt like I could be more myself. I’d had a few friends back home, but they weren’t in London and Charlie’s friends had tried to reach out to me after his death, but given the war it was understandable they were busy. 

“Speaking of children!” Nat exclaimed I can’t believe Thranduil tucked Eira into bed! Or that Fili allowed him? How did that go?”   
  
“Elrond went to check on them. She’d woken up briefly but Thranduil apparently sang her to sleep without any problems.” Maggie said “Rather adorable really. If only he could show such sweetness towards others.” 

“You mean you can’t hear the wedding bells already?” Nat teased “Look at how uncomfortable we’re making her. You do fancy him don’t you?”   


I choked on my wine as Maggie raised an eyebrow at me and I heard Nat chuckling. I didn’t fancy him. That was ridiculous. I was in awe of him and I was grateful for his hospitality and friendship, but fancy? No, that was a strong word. 

I wasn’t some lustful teeanger unable to control her emotions. 

Even so, the mention of Thranduil’s name brought back that familiar fluttering of my heart and I blushed again. 

“No, I don’t.” I denied “I can’t can I? For various reasons! One being that I barely know him! I mean sure, I’ve spent months living in his kingdom, but we’re only  _ just  _ getting to know each other. Not to mention he’s an elf and I’m a…..” 

“Human?” Maggie filled in “Millie, you do realise that that excuse is getting you nowhere in this company? I know Elrond showed you his vision, which of course you don’t have to share. However, if it’s one thing I realised during all these years, it is that Elrond’s visions always mean something. Even if it isn’t always obvious and might maybe even seem nonsensical, there’s always a purpose. You're a nurse and a healer and I know you’re great at observing people, but, if you’ll forgive me for making such a bold assumption, maybe you’re also afraid? I’m definitely speaking out of turn here, but I’ve seen how Thranduil acts around you. He is more gentle and attentive than I have ever seen him. Whenever you aren’t around, his gaze is always wandering, as if he is seeking you out and when he finds you, he instantly relaxes. We haven’t known each other long, Millie and I don’t know why you’re frightened, but if there’s one bit of advice I may give you, it’s to trust  _ it _ . And if it all gets too much or too overwhelming, you always have friends here. Always.” 

And we drank to that. 

* * *

Left or right? 

In the darkness, it was hard to tell which direction to go to and given the amount of wine I’d shared with Nat and Maggie, I wasn’t completely sure I trusted my own instincts. Maggie’s earlier words had stuck with me, but I was still confused about everything. 

Confused and now slightly dizzy. I decided left was probably the right turn and as I stumbled through the darkness, guided by the light of a lantern, I used the wall to steady myself. The last time I had drunk quite as much was after Charlie’s funeral. After what seemed like ages, my hand finally landed on a door-handle and I assumed this was my bedroom. Although, when I pushed the door open, I didn’t remember Thranduil also living along this corridor. Why was he in my room? 

“Millicent?” he said, clearly confused “Are you quite alright?” 

Bloody elves are their heightened senses. I heard his question, but the moment I opened my mouth to reply, it wasn’t words that came out of my mouth. 

“Oh god…”

I stared at the yellow puddle of vomit on the floor and felt a mix of disgust and embarrassment. I wanted to stand up, but the world seemed to spin around me and as I took a step forward, I fell into Thranduil’s arms. 

How was he so close by? Hadn’t he been sitting at his desk? 

In one swift movement, Thranduil scooped me up into his arms and my head began to pound. I should have drunk more water, but time just flew by with Maggie and Nat. Apparently two carafes of Erebor wine shared between three humans takes its toll. Before I knew it, Thranduil carried me over to the bed 

“What are you doing?” I mumbled in my semi-conscious bed “I’m fine, I just need to get back to my room. I’ll clean up the vomit and make my way back.”    
  
“In this state?” Thranduil mused, “I think not. Dwarrow wine can be rather overwhelming if you are unused to its strength. Here, drink this, it will help.”

Thranduil tucked me into the sheets of his bed, which was all filled with his scent - a sort of subtle sweetness that filled the air. He tilted my head up and passed me a mug of water, from which I drank and he sat on the edge of my bed. I wondered if the wine had some sort of hallucinatory qualities, because I could swear Thranduil was glowing. Not just glowing like a gaslight in London, but it was as though he was covered in starlight. He must have realised I was staring because he smiled. 

“Do all elves glow?” I mumbled as I rested my head on the pillow. It was so soft and inviting. “Or is it just you?” 

“All elves have the light of the Eldar inside us.” Thranduil replied “Rest now, Millicent.”

Sleep. Sleep would be good. 

Thranduil got up from the bed and headed towards his desk, but before I grabbed his hand. 

“Thranduil,” I said quietly “Can you stay here until I fall asleep?” 

I didn’t want to fall asleep in loneliness. I could already foresee alcohol-induced nightmares of Charlie, but somehow with Thranduil there it felt better. The elvenking said nothing, but then I felt the weight of his body press into the mattress as he sat down again and I closed my eyes, eventually drifting off into sleep. 

**_To be continued…._ ** **_  
_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _**I know this chapter was a bit long and maybe a bit messy, but Millie had a lot to tell me it seems. Let me know what you think? What do you think will happen when she wakes up with a hangover? How does Thranduil feel about it all? Am I keeping everyone in character so far?** _


	13. Surprises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which many conversations are had

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** New week, new chapter. I’m going to try and update twice every week if I have the time/energy. Thank you for all the continued follows/favs/kudos and comments, I’m glad you guys are enjoying it. I’m sad to see that I’ve lost a few readers because of the Maggie/Fili/Elrond pairing. Representation is important because poly relationships happen in real and it may not be canon to Tolkien’s work specific, but that’s why this is fanfic and so, I won’t be changing it :)
> 
> Let’s see how Thranduil reacts to Erebor and Millie’s drunken wanderings!
> 
> Enjoy!

**Chapter Thirteen**

_ Surprises  _

I should be the first one to say that I have witnessed many strange things in my life and I am hardly surprised anymore. Yet, finding Millicent drunk and lost, stumbling into my room caught by surprise. I had retreated from dinner early to tuck young Eira into bed and after that, I found myself invited for a drink and discussion in Elrond’s guest-study, along with Fili and Master Óin. Perhaps the right thing to do would have been to escort her back to her own bedroom, but given that she fainted, I am almost certain moving her through the long corridors would have made it worse. Besides, I was not particularly tired and I could keep an eye on her, in case she would throw up again. 

Rather thankfully, she did not. 

I had to admit that so far, Erebor I was quite enjoying this visit to Erebor. It was different from the Erebor I knew during the reign of Thorin’s grandfather. Truthfully, I was impressed to see how Fili and his kin had rebuilt Erebor from the ruins caused by Smaug to the thriving kingdom it was now. After attending a few council meetings, I began to think that it might not be impossible to reconcile some of our lost diplomatic connections. Perhaps with Maggie and maybe even Millicent as a connection to the people of Dale, that was also a long since burned bridge we could rebuild. 

That was, assuming Millicent would remain in Middle-Earth for that long.

I was a little taken aback by how easily I had included her in future plans, without so much as a moment’s hesitation. In my mind, I had of course accepted that she was staying in Middle-Earth indefinitely, but there was no indication of whether or not she would stay in Mirkwood. Even though we had only been here a few days, I knew that Millicent was enjoying Erebor. I could see how easily she interacted with those around her. Given how gifted she was with empathy, it came as no surprise to me, but it did make me wonder if she would still be happy returning to Mirkwood with me. Our doors have been closed to the outside world for so long, that to others, it is nothing but a desolate kingdom with a reclusive king as its ruler. At least that it was what I had come to realise the general perception was. 

Not that I cared. 

Or at least I never used to. Yet now, that also appeared to have changed. For thousands of years, the Sylvan elves have been known to host great parties that were talked about centuries afterwards and during my father’s reign, we were known for our hospitality and came to the aid of those who needed our help. I can barely recall the last time the sound of music echoed in the halls of my palace. Was it too late to change that? Had the people of Middle-Earth set their opinion of us in stone or could it be remedied? Maybe that was another conversation I could have with Elrond, if an opportunity presented itself. 

At the moment though, it seemed as though that could take a while. I had noticed some lingering tension between Fili and Elrond and while at first, I thought that my presence had something to do with it, I gathered something else was going on. Elrond was a good friend, but he was also quite private when it comes to his private affairs. I was also aware that I had not been the best at asking Elrond about what was on his mind and a part of me felt guilty. I had been quick to judge his romantic entanglements because I did not understand them, but the past few days had given me new perspective. 

All thanks to Millicent. 

Had she not appeared on my doorstep those months ago, none of this would be possible. Six months ago, I would not have even fathomed entertaining the idea of a friendly diplomatic relationship with Erebor, let alone attend council meetings with Fili or tuck his daughter into bed at night. 

I watched Millicent exhaling heavy breaths in and out as she slept. Every now and again, a snore escaped her lips and I found myself smiling. Sometimes, her hands twitched and she muttered in her sleep, as if she was dreaming. No doubt about Charles, who seemed to be a frequent visitor in her mind. I wondered if she was having nightmares now and also if they would plague her for the rest of her life. 

Such a terrible fate to befall somebody so young. 

I wanted to help somehow, but I wasn’t sure if she would let me. There was no doubt in my mind that Millicent Thomas was a strong young woman of both body and mind. She was able to look after herself and certainly did not need any help in that regard. Independence was an attractive personality trait in anyone, but the more time I spent with Millicent, the more I realised it was her independence that made her shine. 

Yuletide was approaching with impressive speed and I knew it was customary to exchange gifts. Naturally, I wanted to give something to Maggie and Fili as a way to thank them for their hospitality, despite our initial differences. I also wanted to give something to Millicent, but I had no idea what. Nor did I know if she would take kindly to receiving gifts from me, given that things had been a bit unsteady before our departure. We hadn’t exactly had much time to to talk with how busy things were and I certainly did not wish to be inappropriate. 

There it was again. 

Concern and anxiety. I exhaled a frustrated sigh and wondered if maybe I should ask if Millient wished to go for a walk in the orchards, just for a chance to speak. I was curious about her thoughts, especially now that it seemed more clear than ever that Gandalf was nowhere to be found. 

“Oh God..” 

I had just begun to press my quill onto the parchment of my journal when I heard Millicent’s voice and the shift of her body. It was cruel, but also almost impossible to hold back a grin upon seeing the horrified expression on her face. I wondered how much she remembered from the previous night, although if her reaction was anything to judge by, that seemed to not be the case. 

“Ah, you are awake.” I said “How are you feeling?” 

“Oh God…” Millicent groaned and I saw her cheeks turning red. 

“Yes, dwarrow wine rather has that effect.” I said “You should be feeling better after a meal, I believe breakfast will be served shortly.” 

“Oh God…..” 

Embarrassment was an understandable side-effect after a night of overindulging in alcohol, but it had happened to the best of us. I was certainly no exception, although it was rare these days. Nevertheless, awkwardness lingered in the air, but I wanted to assure Millicent that there was certainly no need to feel ashamed. I watched as her eyes traced the walls of the room, as if it would help her remember the events of the previous nights and when her gaze fell on the doorway, she buried her face in her hands. 

“I am so sorry,” Millicent apologised “I don’t know what got into me. I was enjoying a few drinks with Nat and Maggie and thought I was in my room, but apparently not.” 

“There is no need to apologise.” I assured her. “Besides, these dark hallways are confusing for anyone who isn’t accustomed to them. Let alone someone without dwarrow or elven sight to navigate the darkness.” 

“Oh God….”

“I am not sure who God is, but if this is going to be our main method of conversation, perhaps I shall need to enlist Maggie as a translator? I have noticed that you two seem to use similar  colloquialisms.” 

In that moment, three knocks sounded against the bedroom door and before I was able to say anything, the door pushed open and Elrond stood in the doorway. To my own surprise, it wasn’t Millicent’s face who blushed first, it was mine. It took a couple of seconds, but Elrond’s expression shifted from surprise to amusement and I immediately knew that I would never hear the end of it.    
  
“I appear to have intruded on a private moment.” Elrond teased, “I do apologise, I shall leave you both to it.” 

“I can assure you, Elrond.” I began nervously “This is  _ not  _ what it looks like. I would never---and certainly not with Millicent…I mean, she’s a---” 

“Thranduil is right,” Millie agreed “This is  _ definitely  _ not what it looks----” 

It immediately dawned upon me what words had escaped my lips and I bowed my head in regret. A rather awkward silence hung in the air and when I looked up, I saw Millicent hurry out of bed and reached for her shoes on the floor.

“Millicent, I did not mean…” I started, but words seemed to fail me. A strange ache began to take shape within my gut and when I tried to speak again Millicent turned to me. 

“No, there’s no need to explain.” she said plainly, “In fact, you’ve made it all very clear and I’m sorry to have troubled you. He’s all yours, Elrond.” 

Just like that, Millicent was out the door and I was left sitting at my desk, feeling like an utter fool. Elrond still stood in the doorway, with his arms crossed and no doubt several opinions he was willing to share. Although, instead of a smug expression, the lord of Rivendell genuinely seemed concerned. 

“Not a word, Elrond.” I warned him and I certainly was not in a mood for a lecture. “Why are you here?” 

“I had rather hoped you might join Fili and I for a discussion,” Elrond explained “But if you would rather speak with Millicent---”   
  
“No, I am ready to go.” 

Besides, I had a feeling that Millicent was not in a mood to speak with me anyway. 

* * *

I could think of nothing but the awkward incident with Millicent this morning. I do not know why I chose the words I did, but I had meant nothing by it, and I certainly did not wish to offend Millicent. Even though it was no excuse, I believe that perhaps I had spoken those words as a sort of defense. It certainly hadn’t been due to some chivalrous attempt to protect Millicent’s honour. I had only cared about my own reputation and once again, I found myself wondering why. No wonder Millicent struggled to trust me, when all my attempts at redemption ended in disaster, all due to my own folly. 

I spent much of that day in a distant daze and struggled to focus on little else. Elrond had invited me to attend rather an interesting discussion about how to use our diplomatic allies as a way to increase security around our borders. Sauron was long dead, but every so often a few remaining orc pacs found their way to Mirkwood and its surrounding areas, causing havoc where they could and instilled fear around some of the smaller villages. While Sauron’s reign of terror had ended, there was still evil lurking within the shadows of this world that needed to be dealt with, and I was of course happy to lend help. I had offered to speak with Hallath upon my return to Mirkwood and coordinate with some of Fili’s dwarrow-guard and indeed the people of Dale. 

Following the meeting, there wasn’t much on the agenda for that day. I avoided both breakfast and lunch, for the sake of allowing Millicent some privacy. I was frustrated with myself for having spoken so recklessly and it wasn’t the first time. Millicent had clearly taken offense and understandably so, but I hoped she knew that it wasn’t what I meant. Of course I knew she was an attractive woman, but only those foul at heart and of mind would ever consider taking advantage of somebody in an inebriated state. 

By early evening, I had found myself in possession of some wine and a quiet place overlooking the treasure horde, which I gathered was the go-to place for contemplation. If my father saw me now, he would no doubt tell me I was a fool for drowning my sorrows over such a daft matter. 

“Mind if I have a seat?” Maggie carefully asked as she approached Thranduil.

With a simple gesture of my hand, I invited Maggie to join me. The young queen sat down on the ledge next to me and allowed her feet to dangle freely. 

“I would offer you some wine,” I said, “But I gather there was rather a lot of that consumed last night?” 

“Yeah, turns out even after nearly a decade in this world, I still can’t hold my drink.” Maggie scoffed “Elrond will never let me live it down.” 

A slight chuckle escaped my lips and I recalled several memories from my youth where I had once been in Maggie’s shoes. Elrond had always been good at reminding me of my mishaps, but then every now and again, he also let his hair down. I wondered if perhaps Yule would be such an occasion. Maggie and I sat there in silence for what seemed like hours, but to my surprise it wasn’t an uncomfortable silence. 

“She despises me….” I whispered as I drank from the wine, “I cannot blame her.”

“Millie doesn’t despise you, she’s just confused about all of this.” Maggie explained “Anyone in her shoes would be.”

“You were in her shoes once, did you also feel the same way?” 

Maggie seemed taken aback by my question and perhaps that was no surprise. In all the years we have known each other, I had never really asked her personal questions or taken a genuine interest in learning about her. In fact, I had made an active decision to avoid her because up until recently, I had resented her and how she had seemed to entangle herself in my business. These days, I knew it wasn’t true and during the quest to Erebor, I also knew that she had only acted as anyone would in her position. Right now, she was also the one person who could help me understand Millicent. 

“Yes, I was terrified.” Maggie replied “After Thorin died, I was convinced that I would never love again and I didn’t want to. I felt as though the world had betrayed me by taking away the one person I saw myself having a future with and like there was no way anyone could take his place. In my mind, my only duty was being a mother to Theo. For the longest time, I tried to convince myself that I didn’t have any feelings at all, but eventually I simply knew that wasn’t true. Lying to myself made me miserable, but I knew I had to be honest about what I felt, even if perhaps they were not reciprocated.” 

“Only twice before in my life, have I felt true ear.” I said quietly, “Once when I held my dying wife in my arms and watched as the light of the Eldar faded from her eyes. The second time I felt fear, was when I sent my son to attend the council in Imladris. I knew there was a chance he might never come back to me.” 

“Are you frightened now?” 

I turned to Maggie and looked her right in the eyes, while I pondered the answer to her question. Was I frightened and if so, what was I frightened of? My life had taken a strange turn and I did not know how to deal with that change. Yes, Millicent was a grown woman and in charge of her own life, but I also felt responsible for her wellbeing. As much as I hated to admit it, our fates were entwined in ways I did not yet understand. Over the past few months, it was undeniably obvious that she had touched the lives of my kin and also myself. Her empathy towards others was a gift that made her a great healer and it was obviously her calling. For some reason, the Valar had decided to pull her out of the world she was so familiar with and cast her into this one, perhaps because they too saw the importance of her gift. 

If it wasn’t for Millicent, I would not be in Erebor agreeing to matters of diplomatic importance or having a conversation with Maggie that did not end in sourness and harsh words. I also knew that her past was a complicated one and that she was still hurting from losing Charles. His memory was not one I wished to sully by imposing myself on her and nor did I want her to think I did not care about his memory. I did however, want to understand more about it, but I couldn’t help but feel as though my chances of getting close to her were growing thinner by the day. This morning’s disaster had not helped. 

I knew the answer to Maggie’s question, but it also meant that I had to admit things I was not sure I was ready to admit. 

At least not yet. 

“Yes.” I sighed. “I am frightened of what I feel, which if I am honest, I am not even certain what it is. I wish to be closer to her and get to know her, but we barely know each other. Besides, what could I possibly provide for her that she cannot get from a man? My life will be long and hers will be short. If I accept this, then I also accept that I will be forced to watch another love die in my arms.” 

Love. Damn. 

I was not in love with Millicent Thomas, that was ridiculous. I was simply a little curious. 

Maggie’s eyebrows furrowed and I buried my face in my hands in frustration. The young queen placed her hand gently on my shoulder and when I turned to her, it was kindness I saw in her eyes. 

“My brother used to say that it isn’t love we’re afraid of.” Maggie explained “We’re afraid that everyone else is going to be just like the last person who broke your heart. It takes time, Thranduil and in case you had forgotten, you are an elf. You literally have all the time in the world to get to know Millie, because I have a feeling she isn’t going anywhere.” 

“Thank you,” I said “You are much better at giving advice than Elrond.” 

“I have had years of practice. If it is one thing my family does well, it is drama.” 

I laughed again and all of a sudden the weight on my chest lifted. I did want to speak with Millicent and apologise for my poor choice of words earlier that morning, but at that moment, I was enjoying Maggie’s company. 

“That reminds me actually. Fili, Eira and I are going to be traveling with Elrond back to Rivendell after Yule and New Years. We’re all in need of spending more time together and Eira has never been to Rivendell. I wanted to ask if you and Millie might consider joining us?” Maggie asked “It was her idea actually and I thought it would maybe give you both an opportunity to spend more time together outside of Mirkwood. Although, I understand if you’d rather go back home.” 

“I shall gladly accept your invitation,” I replied, quite easily as well. “You have been more than kind to accept us into your home, especially considering our personal grievances.” 

“Well, holding a grudge never helped anyone.”

Maggie stifled a yawn and got back up on her feet. I was sure I could hear her stomach rumbling and it was a reminder that dinner wasn’t far off. It would probably be a good idea for me to make an appearance, if anything I knew Eira would be asking about my whereabouts. I thanked Maggie for her company, but before she walked out of the room I called out to her. 

“Maggie, will you help me find a Yuletide gift for Millicent?” I asked “I know it’s a lot to ask, but I do not know where to begin.”    
  
“Certainly.” Maggie replied “I’m sure we can think of something.” 

I hoped she was right. 

**_To be continued….._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **_Me: “Oh this chapter will be quite a short one”_ **
> 
> **_Me: *nearly 4000 words later* “Ooops”_ **
> 
> **_So, not a super interesting chapter but a few things still happened. I need you guys’ help actually because I haven’t the slightest clue what Thranduil is going to give Millie for Christmas or vice versa? Any ideas? What did you think about this chapter? Let me know!_ **


	14. Contemplation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Millie has a lot of things on her mind .....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Happy Saturday! This means another update! Also, I can’t believe I have nearly 40 reviews already! Thank you so much for sticking with the story, even though I feel as if it isn’t very interesting at times! Although, I guess I did say it would be a slow burn with more focus on being more character driven! 
> 
> Also, I’ve been using the Dwarrow Scholar’s blog on Tumblr as a resource for Dwarrow tradition, but there isn’t much written on the yuletide traditions, which I know are celebrated in the Shire but not so much amongst elves and dwarves. So, I’m going out on a limb and making up my own traditions, based on what I’ve read online and what other authors have done, so I do hope you will forgive me. 

**Chapter Fourteen**

_ Contemplation _

If it wasn’t for Eira, I’d have spent that whole day in a sour mood. Thranduil seemed to have that effect on me recently and he decided to deal with the whole incident by avoiding me. I suppose I was to blame, in part, for what had happened because I was the one who had drunkenly stumbled into his room. Out of all the rooms in Erebor, which was a damned big mountain, it was his that I just so happened to end up in. Another one of the strange coincidences that seemed to be a part of my life. However, Thranduil’s reaction upon Elrond walking in still stung for more reasons than I was able to explain or understand myself. He seemed almost disgusted at the thought of Elrond assuming something had happened between us. Not just because it was me but because I was human. Thranduil may not have completed his sentence, but that is what he’d been about to say. 

I’m not sure why his words hurt so much because obviously, I wasn’t some drunken floozy who crawled into bed with people I barely knew. Nor did I seek his approval for my behaviour or validation of my personality. Yet, rather annoyingly, the elvenking crossed my mind a lot these days. With the exception of Maggie and Elrond, as well as Tauriel and Kili, I understood that it was rare - if not unheard of altogether - that elves sought romantic companionship outside of their race. Understandably so, given their immortality and how terribly they seemed to deal with heartache. 

Nevertheless, King Thranduil was the very definition of an enigma. 

Truthfully, I found the whole thing very frustrating. Before leaving for Erebor, we reconciled our previous grievances and seemed to be getting along fine. Admittedly, we hadn’t been able to spend much time together because things had been busy. Now, because of the daft incident this morning, we were back to square one - me annoyed and he reclusive. I wondered if this was going to be a common theme in our growing friendship. 

Thankfully, Eira was able to keep me busy with all her mischief and believe me there was plenty of that. For being a child so young, she was remarkably alert and clever, which I had explained was due to her half-human/half-dwarrow heritage. Maggie had explained that as she grew up, Eira would look more human than dwarf, albeit with slightly pointed ears. However, she would age almost the same as dwarves, which meant that she would look a lot younger than she was. Just like her brother Theo, who at the age of 67, only looked as though he was perhaps in his early 30s, just like his mother. Maggie had taken my suggestion about spending time in Rivendell to heart, which meant she and Fili were spending a lot of time training Theo and Nat in the ways of ruling the kingdom in their place. Theo was Prince Regent after all and would become king, so it made sense that he understood everything that it entailed. If it was one thing I had gathered during my short time in Erebor, it was that dwarrows have a rich history of culture and traditions, each one more complicated than the next. 

So, on the days when everyone else were otherwise occupied, it was Eira along with Master Óin who kept me company. He was a kind old dwarf with plenty of stories to share, which I found I rather enjoyed. He told about the quest to Erebor and the war of the ring, to which I listened with great interest. Óin told me about Bilbo Baggins who seemed to be at the centre of all these events but who had sadly passed away some years ago. 

Children could often be shy around people whom they didn’t know, but Eira was curious. I was told it was a personality trait she shared with her father. She asked me a million questions about who I was and where I came from and if my home was the same as her mum’s. Middle-Earth was the only world she had known, but Eira did seem to have an understanding that her mother, Nat and their two other friends whose names I found were Laura and Felix, were not from Middle-Earth. Luckily, I remembered that I kept some chalk and a small bag of marbles in my satchel, mainly as a way to entertain the children who sometimes visited the hospital. So, I taught Eira how to play marbles and hopscotch, both of which were incredibly popular with her. I did have a feeling I would have to apologise to Fili and explain why there were traces of chalk everywhere, including all over his daughter’s face. 

On that cold December afternoon, I walked through the orchards with Óin, while Eira ran ahead of us, hiding behind the tree trunks and pretending to scare us whenever we passed by. Christmas was a few days away and while the big days were Christmas Eve (or Yule) and Christmas Day, I’d been told the celebrations carried on throughout the whole week up until New Years Eve. On December 20th, there would be a grand ball, marking the beginning of Yuletide week. Apparently, it was customary for men to ask a lady of their choice to accompany them to the ball. For the rest of that week, leading up to Christmas Eve and Day, it was expected that the pair were to spend time together and also exchange gifts on Christmas Day. Dwarrows, it seemed, were hopeless romantics at heart. 

The whole thing made me rather nervous. I didn’t want to insult their traditions, because after all, they had graciously invited me to stay in their home for as long as I wanted. But, there was nobody who would accompany me to the ball and I hadn’t the slightest idea of what to do for gifts. I wanted to give something to Maggie and Fili to thank them for their kindness, and of course to Elrond and Eira. I knew Elrond was a talented healer and I had an idea that could work, but I would have to ponder that further. Then of course, there was Thranduil. Considering how tense things were between us, I wasn’t sure if gift giving was a good idea, but I did want to show my appreciation somehow. If anything, maybe something that would help mend the every growing cracks in our..relationship...if you could call it that. 

Maggie had also told me there would be some traditional dancing to be expected at the ball, not unlike those held at medieval courts in England. Unfortunately, I was one of those people cursed with two left feet and could not dance to save my life. Once upon a time, it had been my great-nan’s wish to train me as a debutante, but I had always refused. Thankfully, my dear mother always backed me up and eventually my grandmother became bored of nagging me, albeit also disappointed. 

“What troubles you, lass?” Óin asked as we made our way back towards Erebor. “My hearing may not be what it used to, but I can still see that something is on your mind.” 

I sighed and realised given that all dwarrows and elves had keen senses, there was little point in keeping anything from them. Master Óin was kind though and I didn’t mind confiding my worries with him. 

“It’s just this whole thing about the Yuletide Ball.” I replied “I’m told there’s going to be some dancing and I….I don’t dance.”   
  
“You mean you’ve never learned?” Óin asked “Or that you don’t like it?”   
  
“A bit of both. Charlie tried to teach me foxtrot at one point, but it ended up in a total disaster and a small fire in the kitchen.” 

In fact, looking back at it, it was rather lucky that we didn’t need to call the fire brigade to put the fire out. Despite the accident, I remembered that night fondly, but even Charlie learnt that there was no way I would be able to dance. 

“Is the only thing bothering you about the ball?” Óin wondered “It wouldn’t have something to do with other aspects of the occasion?”    
  
“Nothing escapes you does it, Master Óin?” I said “I know that men are supposed to ask a lady of their choice to accompany them to the dance. I know everyone is expecting Thranduil to ask me, and I normally I think I’d be happy if he did, but things are a little...shall we say tense between us right now. I think I’d feel a little embarrassed attending the ball without a partner, as silly as that is.”   


As I explained my concern to Óin, I realised how much anxiety I had over the whole thing, which surprised me. A part of me expected to feel guilty at the potential of a man other than Charlie taking me to a dance. To my surprise, Charlie hardly crossed my mind and my main worry is what people would think if I was there alone. 

“His Royal Broodiness will come around,” Óin chuckled “But, if he doesn’t, I can guarantee you that there are others who would gladly ask you to accompany them to the dance. There’s always Master Dwalin and also Lord Elrond.” 

“Surely Elrond would attend with Maggie, would he not?” I asked “Given they are partners.” 

“They are partners, yes, but Maggie will be attending with Fili as is their royal duty, which leaves Elrond without company. Elrond is a kind elf who would not let Thranduil’s stubbornness stand in the way of you enjoying such a celebration. I would not be surprised if he asked you to accompany him.” 

I must have had quite a look on my face because the grey-haired dwarf burst out laughing and it even made Eira stop and stare for a moment. I wondered how Thranduil would react if Elrond asked me to the ball. Would he care at all? Would I be comfortable with Elrond potentially asking me to accompany him, especially as it meant I would be expected to spend time with him throughout the week. Did that mean Thranduil would have nobody? 

“I seem to have caused quite a conundrum in your mind.” Óin said “I do apologise, that was not my intention. I must ask though, why does Thranduil’s opinion trouble you so?” 

“I don’t know to be honest.” I sighed “Everyone seems to think that I’ve been sent here on some sort of sacred quest to help him heal.”   
  
“And what do  _ you  _ think, lass?” 

“I thought our time here might help me understand him better and that maybe by spending time together, I would get to know him. Every time I feel like we are making progress, something happens and we end up back at square one. Admittedly, I’m partly to blame for this one and I know I was quick to react.” 

“Perhaps you are both more similar than either of you are willing to admit.” 

Óin had a point, even though I didn’t really want to admit it. It did make me wonder why I had really been so upset over Thranduil’s words. Why did I care if he for some reason was appalled at the thought of being romantically involved with a human? 

“No matter who asks me to accompany them to the ball, I have to think about what presents to give them.” I said “Elrond is quite easy, I have a few things in mind that I think would fascinate him. Thranduil however, I don’t know. I’d like to give him something personal and something that he won’t just be able to put away in a box. Something that matters.” 

“Do you have any ideas?” Óin asked 

“I feel like I don’t know him well enough, but I know the one thing he cares about is family.” I replied “He talks about Legolas quite often, but I don’t know how that’s supposed to help me.”    
  
“Well, I happen to know that Legolas plans on traveling to Gondor and perhaps, Thanduil would enjoy seeing his son over the holiday.” 

“As a surprise you mean? How would I go about arranging that? Legolas doesn’t even know who I am?” 

At that point, a mischievous grin tugged at the old dwarf’s lips. 

“Luckily, my dear, Erebor has the best ravens for carrying letters cross country.” 

An idea had sparked in my mind. Maybe it was utterly daft and not to mention I felt as if I was crossing a very private line, but even so, I couldn’t shake the thought out of my head. Who would I speak to about sending letters from Erebor? Only one person came to mind and I knew what I had to do. A few moments later, we arrived back at Erebor and I thanked Óin for his advice and gave him a kiss on the cheek. The kind dwarf’s face turned red and we parted ways as he took Eira’s hand to go on a hunt for Dwalin’s famous oatmeal cookies. December in Middle-Earth was just as chilly as back home and I decided to return to my room for a warmer change of clothes. A series of knocks brought my attention to the front door, and I wondered if it was one of the dwarrowdams reminding me of supper, but to my surprise, it was Lord Elrond at my front door. 

“Have I come at a bad time?” he asked “I did not mean to intrude, although I seem to have a habit of doing that recently.” 

“I was actually just going to see Fili.” I replied, “I also realise I don’t know where his study is. Maybe you could show me the way and tell me what’s on your mind at the same time.”

Elrond offered me his arm and just for a brief moment, I hesitated before I accepted it. Just like all other elves, Elrond had an air of elegance about him, but he carried himself with a different kind of grace. I knew he was impossibly old and I dared not ask his exact age, partly because I was frightened. Not necessarily frightened of Elrond, although I did hold him in extremely high regard. There was no doubt in his mind that despite how kind he was, Elrond could also change in a heartbeat. Just like I had seen in Thranduil back in Mirkwood. It was sometimes easy to forget that elves were not human, even if they acted much like we did. They were the very essence of otherworldly beings and almost godlike in some ways. Yet, I had never felt threatened or afraid of Elrond. 

“I wanted to apologise for the other day, when I walked into Thranduil’s study.” Elrond said after we had walked in silence “It was not my intention to make a joke of such a situation and I know it caused a rift between you two.” 

“There’s no need to apologise, Elrond.” I assured him “I was embarrassed because I drank far more than what was sensible and didn’t know how to react. I’m sure Thranduil was also surprised, which is why he said what he did.” 

“You were still hurt by his words, is that not so?” 

There was clearly no escaping my own feelings on the matter and I knew Elrond took my silence as an answer. As I looked around, I noticed we were in a part of the mountain where I had not been before. In the distance, I could hear the sound from the mines and I wondered if at some point, I could see them for myself. I’d heard such incredible tales of the dwarven mines that it would be a shame to miss out on such a sight. 

“Do not let Thranduil’s words and folly cause you unrest.” Elrond said “He does regret what he said, but as is his way it may take time to reach out.” 

“You think I should reach out to him?” I wondered “Or would that make things worse? I feel like a schoolgirl, getting upset over something so silly.” 

“If it upsets you then clearly, it is not silly.” 

Elrond’s words made sense and perhaps he was right? My head was spinning and I had so many different thoughts in my mind that I could not make sense of. 

“There was another reason for coming to see you,” Elrond admitted “Would you like to accompany me to the Yuletide Ball? I would consider it an honour and a chance to get to know you better. I hear you’re a good healer and I would like to know more about it.” 

“I don’t want to sound rude, but do you not think that would cause more problems with Thranduil? I mean, you all seem sure that I’m here because of him.” 

We stopped in front of a large door, at the end of another endless corridor. I could only assume that this was the door to Fili’s study and suddenly I felt my heart begin to beat faster. I had only spoken very little to Fili since my arrival because he was always busy with his royal duties, understandably and I had never been alone with a dwarf king before. I turned to Elrond who let go of my arm and smiled in a rather smug way. 

“Well, if Thranduil wants a chance to get to know you,” Elrond said “Then he shall also have to play his part. Why don’t you consider it and if you decide against it, I shall not be offended.” 

I nodded and as Elrond’s footsteps eventually faded away in the darkness, I found myself alone and none the wiser than I was before. I raised my hand and carefully knocked on the door, while holding a breath in my chest, which I exhaled upon hearing Fili’s voice from inside. 

“Enter.”

Carefully, I walked into the study, which was entirely different from Thranduil’s in Mirkwood. This study was rather a mess truthfully, with parchments and books haphazardly spread out over the desk, Fili looked up from his desk and seemed surprised to see me, which I couldn’t blame him for. This was the first time I’d been able to take a closer look at Fili, because usually he was never around for more than a few moments at a time - except for at supper. Maggie told me that Fili was 149 years old, which was roughly the same as a middle-aged human. It was difficult to determine Fili’s age, but some of the grey streaks in his otherwise blonde hair gave it away. 

“Millicent, to what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?” Fili asked “Everything is alright, I hope?” 

“God, am I that easy to read?” I replied and suddenly felt embarrassed “I’m so sorry to bother you, I can always come back?”   


Fili got up from his chair and walked around to the other side of the desk. I noticed that he had several braids in his hair and his beard. Some of them had different coloured beads in them and others looked much older than the rest. I wondered if braids carried a significant meaning in dwarrow culture that I was still unaware of, because I noticed all dwarves had them. In fact, even Maggie and Nat had braids in their hair and at a guess, I thought it might symbolise relationship connections. 

“No, don’t be ridiculous.” Fili assured me “How can I be of service?” 

“I know Yule is coming up and I was thinking about gifts.” I stuttered “Specifcally, what to give Thranduil, when I had an idea. Actually, it was Óin’s idea really.” 

“Well, my interest has certainly peaked and also a mild concern. Óin’s ideas can sometimes be dangerous.” 

“I’ll keep that in mind. I wanted to send a letter to somebody and I was told that nothing transports mail as quickly as the Erebor ravens, except I obviously have no idea where to find them or how that works, so I thought I would ask you.”

Fili crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow, as he leaned against his desk.    
  
“And who might I ask, are you planning on sending a letter to?” he asked “I do not wish to sound rude, but if I am not mistaken, you don’t know many people in this world?”    
  
“I want to send a letter to Thranduil’s son, Legolas.” I explained “I understand he’s been travelling and that he’s near somewhere called Gondor...whatever that is? Anyway, I know Thranduil doesn’t share emotions easily, but the way he talks about his son, I can tell he misses him and even though it’s not my place, I have a feeling that seeing Legolas might cheer him up a little.”

“That’s your Yuletide gift for him?”   
  
“Silly, I know.”    
  
Although, the more I thought about it, the more I felt like it was the right gift for him. I had no idea how Thranduil would react, considering how unpredictable he could be, but I figured it was worth a try at least. 

“No, not at all. I think that’s a wonderful idea.” Fili agreed “Were I Thranduil, I would be extremely humbled and glad.”

“Well, it’s a family holiday.” I said “It would be a shame to celebrate it without your loved ones.”   
  
“You are very selfless, especially given how...complicated his lordship can be to deal with. After you have written the letter, give it to me and I shall arrange for it to be sent to Legolas.” 

“Thank you, your maj---Fili. I really appreciate it.”   


Fili nodded and I felt relieved that he had agreed to help. I walked back towards the door, ready to get back to my room, but just as I reached for the door handle, Fili spoke again. 

“What about you, Millicent?” Fili said “You are also spending this holiday without your family. Do you miss them?” 

“I don’t have a family anymore, Fili.” I replied “It’s just me.” 

I turned back to face the dwarf-king and I realised a heavy feeling weighed on my chest. I was once again reminded that this was the first Christmas without Charlie. 

“Ah, see that’s where you’re wrong.” Fili told me, “You do have a family now. Don’t you forget it.” 

Fili’s words and the smile the accompanied them caught me off guard and all I could do was not before I saw myself out of the study. 

**_To be continued…_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **_Another chapter that was longer than I intended! Things are moving on a little bit. We have a yuletide ball coming up and Elrond asked Millie to accompany her!! Did he do it to stir the pot a little perhaps? And what about Millie’s gift for Thranduil? What do we think about that? Please let me know in the comments_ **


	15. Jealousy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Thranduil becomes disappointed....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Happy Monday and happy New chapter-day! Sorry it took so long, but life has been a little crazy! I also got a little stuck on this chapter, damn writer’s block, but all good now! I’ve just moved to the capital of my country and there’s a lot to sort out with settling in, especially during this pandemic. I’m going to keep trying to update it twice-weekly if I can/have the energy.
> 
> Also! I need your help again! Christmas traditions in Middle-Earth! What are some fun things that can happen in Erebor on boxing day? One of my friends suggested an elves vs dwarves vs humans biathlon type thing. Like maybe skiing and some other winter-y sport? 

**Chapter Fifteen**

_ Jealousy  _

It was a Wednesday morning just after breakfast when I finally had an opportunity to speak with Millicent. We had barely been able to see each other over the past couple of days due to all the Yuletide preparations. I was no stranger to dwarrow traditions, it had just been a long time since I had attended them. Once upon a time, dwarrows and Sylvan elves used to host great parties together and I had to admit that I was rather looking forward to resuming some of those traditions. Millicent had been spending time with Maggie and Natalie, helping out with some of the planning as well as learning how to dance. The latter rather surprised me because I simply assumed that Millicent could dance. Perhaps it was a case of Middle-Earth tradition being vastly different from those she was used to.

After our last….falling out, if you could call it that, it was my intention to clear the air between us as soon as possible. Upon reflection, I knew my own reactions had been a bit rash and understandably offensive to Millicent. It wasn’t that I was embarrassed to have a woman in my bed, but I did not want people to think it was for the wrong reasons. I was well aware of the words I had spoken to her. That I never would because she was human and I had seen the hurt in her eyes. Only an utter idiot would say such an awful thing. If anything, during the time Millicent had been in Middle-Earth, it had become more than clear that she was a remarkable human. Any man who wanted to pursue her, would be lucky to have her if she deemed them worthy of her heart. I suspected that very few people had been that lucky. In my heart, I knew that Millicent was a woman who did not need a man to protect her honour - she was more than capable of doing that herself. 

I don’t know why I said those things. It certainly wasn’t out of malice or because I genuinely believed them. Embarrassment was the answer, even if it did not forgive myself for it. 

I only hoped that she would. 

“Millicent, may I steal a moment of your time?” I asked as both Millicent and Maggie approached the doorway. “Could we perhaps go for a walk?” 

“Yes,” Millicent nodded “That would be nice.” 

Maggie excused herself and as she did, I caught her eye - a reminder that we still had to discuss Millicent’s Yuletide gift. I couldn’t remember the last time I had exchanged gifts with someone, let alone someone whom I cared for. I wanted the gift to be meaningful and something that showed Millicent that despite my flaws and lack of tact, I did have her best interest at heart. It was important to me that Middle-Earth felt like home for her, for as long as she stayed - whether by choice or otherwise. Lately, I couldn’t help but wonder how long she would stay here, especially if Gandalf continued to be absent. A part of me, as selfish as it may be, did not wish for his return. Ridiculous, I know, because how could I possibly place some sort of claim on Millicent? She owed me nothing. 

“I hear you are taking dancing lessons ahead of the Yuletide Ball?” I said, “How is that coming along?” 

Outside, a cloudless and opaque winter sky stretched out above us. A crisp northern wind tousled Millicent’s hair and now more than ever, it became clear that winter had arrived. I wondered what winter was like in Millicent’s world? Over dinner, I’d heard her speak about something called electricity which was used to provide some sort of indoor heating. Magic was nothing new to me, but there seemed to be things in this world of hers that was beyond anything I’d heard of. 

“Well, I now know for a fact that dancing is very much a talent you’re born with and not a skill that you can learn.” Millicent explained “I appreciate Theo’s patience with me, it can’t be easy. Master Óin is having a whale of a time with it though.” 

“I admire your perseverance,” I admitted “Truly. I am not sure I would have the same patience as you possess.”

“It’s not every day you get to learn traditional dances of Middle-Earth, is it?” 

A brief silence. 

As we continued our stroll up the hill and towards the orchards, I heard Millicent’s own heartbeat increase. Even though her facial expression remained unchanged, I wondered if she was perhaps a little nervous. 

“Why did you want to speak with me, Thranduil?” Millicent asked, straight to the point as always “You rarely do anything without purpose.” 

It amazed me how well she had gotten to know me, even though it was only recently we began to spend time together. Millicent was undoubtedly one of the sharpest women I had ever met. 

“I know you are still upset with me for the other day and I do not blame you.” I began “I spoke out of term because I was concerned about how Elrond would perceive me. Will you please accept my sincere apologies, for a second time? I do not wish for this to become a habit between us.” 

For a brief moment, I thought she might dismiss my apology altogether. During the few seconds where she considered my words, her expression changed several times. Her eyebrows furrowed and her glance fell to the ground, while I also saw her fidgeting with her hands. Then, her nerves seemed to settle and her posture relaxed. 

“Of course I forgive you,” she said “I also reacted a bit rashly, my mother always said it’s a bit of a family trait. I don’t want there to be any tension between us, there’s been enough of that I think. I’d like to start over, whatever that means, if that’s alright with you?” 

“Yes, I should like that.” I replied “I should like that very much indeed.” 

Almost instantly, the air between us seemed to clear and the anxious weight off my shoulders lifted. I know - what do elvenkings possibly have to be anxious about? I wish I could explain it myself, but alas there was no such luck. We took a turn at the top of the orchard and made our way back to the entrance. If Millicent was practicing dancing, that meant she was planning on attending the ball and I wondered if she had any company. Perhaps it was foolish of me to assume she would attend with me, but it could be good for our growing friendship. Besides, it had been some time since I had danced. 

“There was something else, well, I mean….no doubt Maggie has informed you about the traditions regarding Yule and the ball?” I said, stumbling upon my words “What I mean to say is, as the dance is in a couple of days, I wanted to ask if you would perhaps do me the honour of accompanying me to the ball.” 

Millicent’s face turned red, almost out of embarrassment, which was an emotion that I had yet seen in her. I felt almost giddy at the thought of my question causing an emotion like that within someone else. 

“Actually, about that.” Millicent said and her voice changed “I was going to tell you later, but seeing as you’ve asked…. I’ve agreed to accompany Elrond to the Yuletide Ball. He asked mea couple of days ago.” 

Of course he did. Curse that half-elf! 

It took only a few seconds before jealousy stirred inside me and it took considerable effort to compress my instinctive reaction. Millicent was a grown woman and well within her right to attend the festivities with whomever she chose. I could still give her a meaningful gift and have a good time. I wasn’t going to let Elrond get the satisfaction of being a smug fool. 

“Oh, I see.” I said and exhaled a heavy sigh “Well, in that case you will no doubt enjoy yourself. Besides, Elrond is rather an excellent dancer.” 

“This doesn’t bother you?” Millicent asked, her surprise very clear 

Of course it bothered me, I thought, but I would not allow Millicent to see that. 

“Not at all,” I lied “You will be in great hands.”

The worst part of it all was that she truly would be in great hands. 

* * *

I was no fool. 

I knew exactly what Elrond was doing and it wasn’t bothering me in the slightest. Millicent was a grown woman who was able to make her own choices about who to spend time with. If she wanted to attend the Yuletide Ball with Elrond, that was her prerogative. My opinions on the subject mattered little and I certainly wouldn’t voice them to her. I did not want something as ridiculous as my own jealousy cause yet another rift between us. It seemed as though I had finally 

It did mean that my gift for Millicent had to be something more memorable and personal than anything that dark-haired Rivendell moron could conjure. 

Of course, I could confront him about it, but if I did that almost meant I admitted defeat. Maggie was right about one thing and that was that Elrond could be incredibly smug when he wanted. In our youth, we often shared in many an argument over similar situations and apparently some things have not changed. 

I needed a different tactic. Elrond and no doubt everyone else, would probably assumed I would retort with impulsive anger. Perhaps a few months ago, I would have agreed with them, but now I wanted things to be different. Above all, I wasn’t going to allow my own jealousy - if you could call it that - to get in the way of Millicent’s first Yuletide Ball. I could still find a meaningful Yuletide gift for her and enjoy the festivities. Once upon a time, my father hosted great parties in Mirkwood and I fond memories of similar celebrations taking place within our own halls. Perhaps, I could return the kindness that Fili and Maggie had extended to me by hosting a different festive celebrations - perhaps midsummer? I’d have to give it some thought, of course but the idea of opening up our doors brought a different kind of joy to my heart that I had not felt in a long time. 

All because of Millicent. 

**_To be continued…_ **   


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **_OH MY GOSH! I am SO SORRY this chapter took so long to update! I’ve had a crazy couple of weeks with moving into a new house, with new people halfway across my country. I’ve been exhausted, but I’m back on track. Next chapter: Yuletide, Part I! What did you guys think of this one!_ **


	16. Yuletide, Part I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the festivities begin......

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N** Happy Friday! Weekend = New Chapter! I managed to write a chapter not wait nearly two weeks before an update! This one is also longer than the last chapter and will be divided into two parts. I literally know very little about ballroom dancing and parties in Middle-Earth, so I'm kinda just going with what the fandom generally agrees aon, bits learned from the Dwarrow Scholar and making stuff up as I go, so if you don't like it - well, too bad really. ANYWAY Thank you for staying with me so far, your reviews make my day and keep me writing!
> 
> Also, I realised as I was watching Outlander yesterday, that this fic is basically Outlander - the LOTR version, what with Millie being a nurse from the 40s. It's given me a bit of new inspiration.
> 
> Anyway, enough rambling and on with the chapter.

_**Chapter Sixteen** _

_Yuletide, Part I_

The days leading up to the Yuletide Ball were hectic, to say the least. Watching Erebor come to life, with so many guests arriving from different places in Middle-Earth was fascinating to me. Dwarves came from other mountain kingdoms to pay their respect to Fili and visit their kin. In the past day or so, I'd seen other humans who hailed from other kingdoms I'd never heard of. Of course I knew that Middle-Earth was a huge world, but it wasn't until now that I was truly beginning to comprehend the scale of it all. I wondered how many different kingdoms there truly were and if they were all at peace with one another.

Over the past few months, I'd learned that a few years ago, there had been a great war against someone called Sauron. I didn't fully understand who or what he was, but I could tell from the way people spoke of him that he instilled fear in everyone. Even Thranduil and Elrond shuddered at the very mention of his name, as if the very word invited an unwelcome force of great evil. I wished to learn more of the history of this strange world and as I was going to spend time with Elrond, I planned to ask him.

Truthfully, I felt a little guilt over accompanying Elrond to the Yuletide Ball instead of Thranduil. It wasn't out of spite that I accepted his offer and I hoped it wouldn't cause a strain in the friendship between the two elvenkings. I saw in Elrond a good friend and somebody who could perhaps help make sense of my presence in Middle-Earth. Slowly, I began to accept that I was here as a part of something much greater than myself. I understood that the Valar, whoever they were, had put me here for a specific cause. Sometimes, the thought of otherworldly beings with such a strong influence and power was overwhelming. Yet, I knew from how others around spoke about the Valar, that they were not evil. In my world, we might call them Gods or maybe even oracles of sorts. Except, back on Earth - the existence of Gods was heavily debated and often agreed to be nothing but the work of fiction. Here, it seemed as though gods were as real magic itself and I'd be lying if I said that it didn't frighten me.

In all the confusion, I still wanted to explore this new world that was becoming all the more familiar to me. Strangers were becoming friends and somehow, I also found that perhaps they were also family. Both Maggie and Nat knew what I was going through because they had been through the exact same thing, though under slightly different circumstances. Yet, I knew in my heart that the same gods who had brought them here had also summoned me. Being part of a greater purpose or a calling felt like a heavy weight on my heart. I knew I had to fulfill my part in this story and that the chapters of my own book were still being written. Whether I liked it or not my fate was becoming more and more intertwined with that of this world and I had to find a way to accept it.

I also knew that it meant I had to make my peace with Thranduil, because he was also a part of my tale.

I wondered if he would be attending the ball alone or if he would find somebody else to accompany him, although I couldn't imagine who. Yes, Thranduil was an attractive elf, but over the past centuries or maybe even millenia, he had soured his own reputation. Many people still saw him as the harsh elvenking who hated the company of others and who would barely look people in the eye. Not even his own family. However, the Thranduil I had come to known, especially over the past month or so, was someone different. He played with children and read them bedtime stories at night, he learned to control his own temper and instead of letting it get the better of him, he sought forgiveness and understanding.

Maggie and Elrond seemed to believe that my presence was the cause of his slow but steady change in attitude, but I wasn't so sure. Perhaps the King of Mirkwood was simply starting to realise that the world around him sought him no harm.

On the eve of the Yuletide Ball, my stomach was filled with butterflies. One of the dwarrowdams had been kind enough to sew me a dress especially made for the occasion. As I stood in front of the mirror, I couldn't help but wonder what Charlie would think if he saw me now. It was a long dark green and flowing dress with wide white sleeves. It was much heavier than any of the dresses I wore back home, but it was comfortable and its bodice not too tight. Fili's mother - Lady Dís had turned my otherwise messy blonde hair into one long braid that fell down my shoulder. Maggie had gifted me a silver, elven headpiece to wear and the more I looked at my reflection, the more I knew the woman standing in front of me was the same woman who had left London.

A gentle knock on the oakwood door snapped me out of my thoughts. I gathered my thoughts for a few moments, exhaled a deep breath before I opened the door to Lord Elrond. In the distance, I already heard echoing laughter and music coming from the great hall. I knew Bombur and the kitchen team had been preparing and cooking food for the past week, almost around the clock. I must have been staring because Elrond chuckled and I felt pink heat rise on my cheeks. The Lord of Rivendell had also dressed for the occasion, although Elrond always dressed as if he was attending a fancy event. Tonight however, he worse a long silver robe and seemed to be glowing more than elves usually did.

"I apologise for my lateness," Elrond said "Children have a hard time falling asleep when they know something exciting is happening elsewhere."

"Eira isn't attending the party?" I wondered "Or is it not as child friendly as I assumed?"

"The children have their own festivities to enjoy and there are plenty of events for them to be included in throughout the rest of the week. Shall we?"

Elrond offered his arm, which I gladly accepted and we walked together down the corridor. The long hallways of Erebor were not as frightening to me as they had been upon our arrival. Slowly, I was starting to find my way around and had even begun to make acquaintances with the dwarves who lived under the mountain. Sometimes they were slow to open up, but most of them were happy to talk and show me their way of life. I got the feeling that dwarves were immensely loyal.

The ball itself was unlike any dance I had ever attended. I don't know why, but in my head I hadn't thought of dwarrows as great dancers, but the moment I stepped into the great hall I was proven wrong. If anything, the dance itself was more akin to a Scottish or Irish cèilidh and I watched with fascination as both men and dwarves allowed their feet to travel across the dancefloor, seemingly without touching the surface at all.

Bombur and the kitchen staff had truly outdone themselves with the cooking and there was food that could feed people for days, if not weeks. There was tomato soup, several different kinds of stews, roasted pork, various types of bread and some foods I had no idea what they were. Not to mention an endless amount of kegs containing ale, wine and cider that had been brought from dale. My nervous anxiety was gone and excitement took its place. As my eyes gazed across the room I saw, Maggie and Nat, both dressed in equally beautiful dresses and jewellery that no doubt were made from the jewels mined within the heart of the mountain. While I knew that Maggie was the Queen of Erebor, tonight was the first time it truly showed. People greeted her and Fili with respect, loyalty and love and they listened while visiting dwarves talked about their families and mischief their children had been up to.

I spent most of the night talking with Elrond, who was curious about how healing worked in my world and I was glad because it meant my Yule gift for him was exactly right. We also danced, which wasn't as frightening

"I have sent your letter to Minas Tirith using Vindir, my fastest raven." Fili whispered in my ear at the dinner table, which was the largest tablet I had ever laid eyes on. It reminded me of the great hall at Hampton Court Palace, but even King Henry VIIIs enormous palace did not match the magnificence of Erebor. "I've also had confirmation from King Aragorn that Legolas received the letter and is already travelling here. If my calculations are correct, he'll be here tonight."

"Tonight already?" I said in surprise, in my mind I thought that Minas Tirith was much farther away, but it once again proved how little I knew of Middle-Earth's geography. It would simply be an early present for Thranduil. A part of me began to feel nervous and I hoped I made the right choice. Knowing the king's temper, he might not like me meddling in his private affairs.

"Thank you, Fili." I said "I really appreciate it."

Fili replied with a nod and gently squeezed my shoulder as he returned to sit by Maggie. I was about to enjoy another sip of the cider brought from Dale, when a familiar tall figure loomed over me. Contrary to my previous assumptions, Thranduil seemed to be enjoying himself and I noticed he was indulging in conversations with some of the humans who attended the party and even to my surprise a few of the dwarves. Just like Elrond, the king of Mirkwood had also dressed for the occasion and wore a long midnight blue robe, which on the floor looked almost like a pool of gently flowing water. His white hair cascaded down his broad shoulders and I could swear I saw his eyes sparkle when he looked at me.

"Forgive me Elrond, _mellon-nin_." Thranduil said "I mean not to interrupt, but I was wondering if I might perhaps ask Lady Millicent for a dance?"

"If it is what the lady wants, then by all means." Elrond smirked

For some stupid reason, heat rose on my cheeks when I looked up at Thranduil who reached out his hand towards me. I must admit, I hesitated for a few seconds. Not because I didn't want to dance with him, but because I was unsure of what would happen when I did. I accepted his hand and as he led me out onto the dancefloor I was suddenly aware of all eyes on us. My nerves got the better of me, but Thranduil was confident. He placed a steady arm on my waist and guided my hand to his shoulder, as his other hand entwined with me. His hands were soft and as his fingers slipped into mine, my heart beat rapidly increased. Even more so when I reminded myself that with his elven hearing Thranduil was no doubt aware.

Our eyes met and instead of his slightly grumpy and furrowed brows, I was met with a genuine smile of almost childish glee. When the music began to play, we moved and I found myself completely taken by surprise. Of course Thranduil knew how to dance, I would be surprised if somebody who had been alive for thousands of years hadn't learned how to move to music. There was however, a significant difference between Elrond's dancing and his. As I moved across the floor with Thranduil, our movements were completely in sync. Not a step was out of line, nor did we lose touch with the rhythm of the music. I felt as though we were skipping on the surface of water. When the music finally stopped, I exhaled a breath I didn't even realise I was holding and we stood on the dancefloor in silence, while people around us applauded the musicians for a jig well played. I don't know why I was so awestruck, but the elf standing in front of me was so different from the Thranduil I first met when I found myself in his kingdom.

We walked back towards the table in silence, but as we did I felt Thranduil's hand ever so slightly touching my fingers. What surprised me the most was that I didn't seem to mind.

"My Lord Thranduil, apologies for interrupting," it was Theo who spoke as he walked towards us "You have a visitor."

"A visitor?" Thranduil asked "You must be mistaken, I am expecting no one."

"Is that a way for a father to speak about his son?"

I knew immediately that the strange voice belonged to Legolas and when I turned towards the entrance of the great hall, an unfamiliar blonde elf stood there. The family resemblance was impossible to miss. Legolas had the same blonde hair and blue eyes as his father, as well as equally broad shoulders. Just like all elves, his age was impossible to tell and I wondered how much younger he was than Thranduil.

"Legolas, _ion-nin_." Thranduil's voice but nothing but a whisper. "What in Eru's name are you doing here?"

"I had word that you were spending some time in Erebor." Legolas explained "I thought I would visit. Yuletide is a time for family after all."

I saw the look on Thranduil's face change from surprise, to joy and I knew I had made the right choice as I watched the elvenking embrace his son in a heartfelt hug. I'd never seen Thranduil show such unconventional and instant love towards anyone before and I wondered how long it had been since the two had seen each other. Maggie explained that after the war against Sauron, Legolas, a dwarf called Gimli and another friend of Maggie and Nat called Felix decided to travel throughout the lands of Middle-Earth, hunting evil that was still acting in Sauron's name.

"It is good to see you son," Thranduil confessed "How long are you staying?"

"For as long as I am welcome." Legolas replied "Besides, it's been a while since I've attended Yuletide celebrations."

"Who told you I was here?"

With a simple nod, Legolas revealed that I was the reason his son came home for the holidays. Thranduil turned and looked at me with wide eyes. At first, I thought they were filled with horror and for a few seconds I felt my heart sink. Then, to my surprise, Thranduil grabbed me by the shoulders and pulled me in for a hug. In his arms, I felt a warmth and safety that I hadn't felt for a long time and for the first time since arriving in Middle-Earth, I allowed myself to embrace that feeling. The tips of Thranduil's fingers squeezed my shoulder blade and he almost buried his face in my neck.

Gratitude. That was the feeling the elvenking tried to convey and when he let go of me, I knew something changed in the way he looked at me. I was no longer a stranger or a potential threat to his kingdom or some mysterious woman sent by the Valar to do their bidding.

I was a friend.

"'Las!" Maggie exclaimed and ran into the blonde elf's arms. "What on Earth are you doing here, I thought you were visiting Minas Tirith?"

"We were, but someone arranged a surprise visit to Erebor."

The voice that answered Maggie's question didn't belong to the blonde elf, and I could tell from the smile on her face that it was someone else she knew. A tall human boy stepped out from behind the blonde elf. He was around Maggie's age, had short blonde hair, as well as a beard and when he embraced Maggie, it was easy to tell they were very close.

"Felix, it's so good to see you." Maggie whispered "Oh my god, you have a beard now!"

"I know, I've tried getting rid of it, but turns out cutting off your hair is offensive to both dwarves and elves." Felix grumped

"You still have not forgiven Gimli for the incident with the shears?" Legolas teased

"No and I never will."

"Speaking of the Son of Glóin," Maggie said "Where is he?"

"Catching up with his fellow dwarves."

"Fili will be thrilled to see him."

" _Mae Govannen,_ Legolas Greenleaf _."_ Lord Elrond greeted as he entered the throne room with Thranduil next to him "It has been quite some time since our paths have crossed. You as well, Master Felix."

" _Hir-Nin_ Elrond, a star shines upon the hour of our meeting."

I leaned into Maggie and whispered in her ears. "Are they always this formal?"

"You have no idea." Maggie chuckled "Come on, the evening has only begun."

Maggie hooked arms with mine and we made our way back to the Great Hall. She was right about one thing, the evening had only just begun.

_**To be continued…..** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **_Another chapter done! I'm so sorry that this one also took a while, life is still a little hectic and crazy on my end. I'm still not sure what Thranduil should give to Millie that would be equally as meaningful as her bringing Legolas to Erebor. Any ideas? Please leave a review and let me know what you think!_ **


	17. Yuletide, Part II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which sports are played....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** What’s this? Two chapters in a row! We’re reaching the second half of Yuletide and things are about to get fun! Thank you once again for all the reviews/comments and follows! I’m so glad you’re all enjoying it! You have no idea how much I appreciate it! I also want to thank you for all the suggestions for the biathlon, I know what to do with it now!
> 
> Finally, I’m wondering about my pacing, do you think Millie and Thranduil’s dynamic is developing fine or is it too quick? I’m thinking about when to have the dreaded first kiss. It might be a few chapters away yet. I might do three parts of Yule because there’s a lot to these chapters and a lot of dialogue. 
> 
> Anyway, on with the chapter and it’s a long one, so enjoy! 

**Chapter Seventeen**

_ Yuletide, Part II  _

**Thranduil’s POV**

Six long years had passed since the end of the war against Sauron. In those six years, not once had I seen my son. Occasionally, I received a letter explaining his whereabouts, but they were also rare and few between. I am more than aware that my actions in the past have caused a rift between Legolas and I, especially with the part I played in the Battle of the Five Armies. Over the years that followed, we did our best to mend our bond and to some extent it worked, but I knew in my heart that my son would follow a different path. One that meant he would not sit upon the throne of Mirkwood. 

Regrettably, I showed resentment towards his choice to travel with a dwarf and human instead of doing his duty to his kin. I’m not proud of it, but it is what it is. That didn’t mean I did not miss my son or that I didn’t worry about him in his absence. I loved him and I always would no matter what choice he made. That was my role as a father  Which is why when I saw Legolas standing in the doorway to the Great Hall of Erebor, I did not know what to say. Millicent had no family of her own here and from what I understood, she didn’t have much family - if any at all - back in her world. For her to reunite me with my son in spite of her own feelings was a kindness I had never been shown. It became all the more important to me that the gift I had for her was the right one. I knew there was no way I could truly thank her, but I wanted to try. 

That night was filled with more laughter and joy than I had experienced in a while. Any ill will that I had towards the dwarves Erebor was in the past. I shared drinks with Fili and recounted old stories and I even shared a dance with Maggie. Months ago, none of this would have been possible if it wasn’t because of Millie showing up on my doorstep. If she hadn’t shown up, no doubt my life would have continued as it always did and I would probably have been satisfied with that. 

Satisfied. Not happy. 

That was no longer a life I wish to live.

Dwarves and elves had one thing in common; we knew how to party. I recall days of my youth when great parties were held frequently, inviting people from all corners of Middle-Earth. The Yuletide ball would carry on until early hours of morning when people were either too tired to dance or too drunk to keep drinking. Even Elrond gave into temptation and indulged in more than several glasses of wine. Spirits were high and now more than ever, I had a feeling that this night would forever strengthen the bonds between the elves of mirkwood, men of Dale and dwarves of Erebor. 

Millicent was also having a good time. Across the table, I saw her enjoying conversations with Nat and Theo, as well as Master Óin and Glóin. I also noticed that Legolas took her aside at one point for a private conversation after which he hugged her. I immediately knew that he had accepted her as a friend and that he too was grateful for what she’d done for us. 

Many hours and drinks later, the pace of the party eventually slowed down. Several guests had already retreated to sleep off what would no doubt be an unpleasant hangover. In the corner of my eyes, I saw Millicent sneak away and I decided to follow her.

A few moments later, I found Millicent outside, further up a hill. She lay on a woollen cloak, gazing up at the sky. On this particular night, the sky above us was a perfect blanket of midnight blue, covered with a million stars shining down on us. I wondered if Millicent knew about the significance of stars to elves. 

“They’re all different from home.” Millicent said. “I thought perhaps I might recognise some of the constellations, but they’re all foreign. I don’t even know what constellations you have, if any.” 

“Would you like me to show you?” I asked, a bit quicker than I anticipated 

“I would love to. Will you sit?” 

I composed myself before I lay down next to Millicent. It was a brisk night and a light breeze swept past us, acting as a reminder that the North Wind still ruled the sky. I found myself wondering what winters were like in Millicent’s world and hoped that one day I would find out more about her life before she came here. We lay in silence for a while and I heard her heart beating clearly as she exhaled deep breaths. It had been a long time since I last watched the stars and even longer since I was joined by someone else. For too long had I stayed locked in my chambers and my ancestors would be ashamed. Watching the stars filled me with a great calm and almost a longing. 

“Elrond told me that elves are fond of starlight.” Millicent recalled “Why is that?” 

“Elves were awakened by Valar during the Long Night.” I explained “Starlight was the first light we ever saw and it is precious to us.” 

“Do you...remember it?” 

I shook my head and chuckled. Millicent knew of course that elves were immortal, but I realised she didn’t know my actual age. 

“No, but my father did.” I replied “We often watched the stars when I was an elfling and he told me that the first star he remembered seeing was  _ Anarríma _ . It is one of the constellations set in the heavens by Varda to enlighten the awakening of elves and gathered from among the ancient stars. That one over there slightly to the left is called  _ Menelmacar _ , also known as the Swordsman of the sky. Our stories say the Valar placed him in the sky as a way of foreboding the Last Battle.” 

“Where? I can’t see him.” 

Gently, I grabbed Millicent’s hand and slipped my fingers between hers. Then, with our combined index-fingers, pointed towards the sky and traced a line from the moon to the position of the Swordsman. I’d almost forgotten that the stars were always brightest during Yule and tonight, their shine danced across the sky as they had done for thousands of years. At first, I thought that Millecent would let go of my hand once I pointed out the constellation, but to my surprise, she didn’t. 

“What other stars are there?” she asked 

“Well, our brightest and most beloved star is that of Eärendil. It is the light that shines in the horizon both in the morning and the evening. It was a boat raised by the Valar and led by Eärendil, who carries a shining Silmaril while watching the Doors of Night.” 

“What about you? Do you have a favourite star?” 

I nodded and as I slightly squeezed Millicent's hand I drew a line over the horizon until our fingers landed on a bright blue round dot. 

"That is  _ Luinil _ ." I explained "Our ancestors knew it as the Blue One because during the Long Night it was his light that phone the brightest. My mother first told me his story when I was but a young elfling and since then, he has always brought me comfort and guidance." 

"That's lovely." Millicent said "My father and I used to watch the stars. He had friends in Cornwall and when I was little we used to park the car out on the moor. There, the sky was so clear you could see the entirety of the Milky Way, sprinkled like bits of white snow over a velvet blanket. He told me about Orion - the Great Hunter."

"Who is he?" 

"In ancient Greek mythology, Orion was the son of Poseidon - the great god of the sea. He possessed supernatural strength and a talented hunter who claimed he could rid the world of all its animals. This angered the Earth goddess Gaia, who sent a scorpion to defeat Orion. Orion then tried to battle the scorpion, but he quickly realized that he could not shoot his arrow through the creature’s armor. Orion proved troublesome to the other gods, so it was the goddess Artemis who put him in the sky so that she could always see him." 

I found myself listening to the story with awe. I was ashamed to admit that at first, Millicent's world seemed to me to be one without magic, but it was now clear to me this was far from the case. Her world had gods and heroes just like ours did and stories that were passed on for generations.

We lay there in silence for what seemed like hours, but it was a comfortable silence. Millicent's hand still rested comfortably in mine and I gently traced circles in the palm of her hand. Her skin was soft, if a bit cold from the wind and I noticed a scar just above her life line. 

"It was a knife cut." Millicent said "I was tending an injured soldier whose state of shock made him violent. As we tried to hold him down, he managed to reach for his knife and cut my hand. Eventually we managed to sedate him, but he still died from infection. His name was Tommy."

"You have seen a lot of death?" I asked, but it was more of a statement. "Seems an awful fate for one so young."

"Yes, I've seen my share. You get used to it eventually, like it becomes a part of who you are. But, even when everything seems hopeless there's still light when you get to save someone's life and see them get back to their loved ones." 

"You are selfless, to sacrifice your own time with your family so that others can be reunited with theirs. I'm sure they are forever grateful to you."

"I don't have a family anymore, remember? Not since Charlie died. If I can give my time to help those who willingly sacrificed their life for our country, then I will. It is my duty, after all." 

A loud chortle from down the hill interrupted our moment and I saw Millicent shivering from cold. As much as I wanted this moment to last, I did not wish for her to become sick. I got back up on my feet and helped Millicent back on hers. 

"Here, you are freezing." I said and wrapped her cloak tighter around her as well as my arms, which she did not mind or protest. "Come, let us return inside. I am sure Elrond is missing his companion for the festivities." 

* * *

I awoke the following morning in good spirits, albeit with a head sore from over indulging in dwarrow ale. According to tradition, the breakfast following the ball was equally as anticipated and I knew it would be needed for the day ahead. 

"I can see why you like her."

Legolas stood outside my chambers, leaning against the wall with an ever so smug grin on his face. 

"I know not what you mean,  _ ion-nin _ ." I replied 

"Forgive my disbelief,  _ ada _ , but I see how you look at her. Everyone does, except it would seem the two of you. It has been a long time since I saw you so filled with joy."

My son was perspective as always. Ever since Legolas was an elfling there was no point hiding anything from him. I wondered what he thought about this new turn of events. Particularly after last night, during mine and Millicent's private moment outside. It was nothing but a conversation between two friends, yet I still felt as though we were closer than before. I didn't want to take anything for granted though and I was still not certain of my own feelings. Besides, Legolas still loved his mother very much and if I admitted that I…. _ felt  _ something for Millicent, whatever it may be, I also could not help but feel I was also betraying the memory of his mother. 

"It is alright,  _ ada _ ." Legolas said as if he had read my thoughts. "You are allowed to move on from  _ naneth _ and to be happy. It is all I have ever wanted for you. I know you and I know you probably will not admit anything to me or yourself, but for what it is worth, you need not worry about my feelings. Besides, I do like her." 

Further down the corridor, Eira's gleeful laughter thankfully interrupted our conversation and I smelled a variety of hot foods from the great hall. Legolas and I walked in silence to the hall and found everyone else were already gathered. Eira ran excitedly between the tables, while the others were mid-conversation. Millie sat on the far end between Theo and Elrond and looked a little tired but seemed to be happy. 

"So, it's a biathlon then?" Felix asked as he poured himself mulled cider. I wondered what tales he, Legolas and Gimli had to share from their travels. "You compete in two sports suitable for winter?"

"Aye, in the first sport men compete against each other for the honor of their yuletide companion and at the end, a champion will be crowned." Fili explained as he grabbed Eira mid-air and placed his daughter on his lap. "If you do not have a companion you are also allowed to compete, however, you must still decide whose honor you are fighting for and if you win, your companion must present you with a kiss.” 

In the moment Filli finished his sentence, I caught Elrond looking at me from across the table and I saw a mischievous grin tug at his lips. That sly half-elf. This was his plan all along. I must admit that I did not see it coming for a second and I had to hand it to Elrond, he still knew how to play these games. It was funny, I thought, how little some things changed over thousands of years. 

“What’s the second sport?” Millicent asked “Is it one that women can participate in?” 

“Aye, the second sport is bowling.” Gimli replied cheerfully “One that us dwarves are particularly skilled at.” 

“Well, at least where I'm from, we usually bowl in teams.” 

It surprised me to hear that bowling existed in Millie’s world as well, but I was also glad that there was something we all had in common. Master Gimli was indeed right, dwarves were remarkably talented bowlers. I recalled a time in my youth when I participated in a game with my fellow elves and sorely lost. 

“I have an idea.” Nat said “How about a game with humans from Earth vs the dwarves and elves from Middle-Earth? I don’t want to brag, but Maggie, Felix and I basically grew up in a bowling alley.” 

“Is that right, lass?” Gimli teased “Well, I believe we have ourselves a set-up then.” 

“How does it work?” Millicent asked “Are we defending somebody’s honor?” 

Bouts of laughter spread across the table and Millicent’s cheeks turned pink, a colour that rather suited her. I’d never seen her be embarrassed though and she usually took everything in her stride. One of the many things that I admired about her. 

“No, Ms Millicent.” Óin chuckled as he wiped the steam off his glasses. “Bowling is a sport about money. We place wages on who we think might win or lose. Nearly everyone under the mountain will be participating in teams and bets are placed all around. In the end, the winning team collects the pot.” 

“That sounds like harmless fun.” Millicent said 

“Oh, you have no idea m’dear.” 

Master Óin was right. Millicent had no idea of how competitive the day was about to get and I for one found myself excited. 

* * *

Standing by the Long Lake was strange, especially considering Lake Town no longer existed. Last time I had stood by its shores was during the dwarves' quest to Erebor. Both Maggie and Fili were different people back then and not in my wildest dreams would I have imagined calling them my friends as I did now. Just as it did every year, ice had frozen over the lake and ontop of the ice was a thin layer of snow. A chill hung in the air and a brisk wind foretold of an oncoming snowstorm, perhaps later in the day. 

Millicent wore a long blue dress and thick winter cloak with a hood that covered her hair. Yesterday, her hair had been braided, but today her blonde curls cascaded down her shoulders. My fellow competitors were all gathered on the edge of the lake and I scanned the terrain ahead. The rules were simple enough; skate as quickly as possible across the lake, avoid the obstacles and skate back before the others. To the spectator, it seemed easy enough but dwarves were tricksters. If my memory was correct, there would be traps set out across the lake. If one wasn’t careful enough, you could easily slip through the cracks and into the ice-cold water. Elves were at an advantage because of our enhanced senses, but dwarves had them also. Óin, who was too old to participate, gathered the contestants together and then turned to the crowd.

“You know the rules, before we start, those without companions must choose whose honour they wish to fight for.” 

Only a couple of others were without companions and when Óin turned to me, I was surprised to find my own heart beating a little faster than usual. 

“I choose Lady Millicent,” I announced “If she will accept.”

“I will.” Millicent acknowledged, much to my relief. 

“Alright then, on yer marks, set--” 

On the third count, Óin sounded the horn and we were off. Even though centuries had passed since I last skated, my feet still remembered the movements. Each time moved forward, the breeze tousled my hair and I quickly studied my competitors. Theo and Gimli were right behind me and I heard the son of Glôin cackle to himself as he tackled some of his fellow dwarves. Foul play was of course allowed, as well as anticipated, but I decided to not go down that route. 

“It’s good to see old age has not yet caught up with, my friend.” Fili sassed as he skated past me, a grin wide as the River Anduin on his face “Slow as elves age, surely nearly 10,000 years would leave its mark?” 

“I commend you on your forthrightness,  _ mellon-nin _ .” I said “Your Uncle Thorin would have been proud of you and not just for your sharp tongue. You and your wife are doing a fine job in Erebor.” 

“Aye, but I think he’d not be best pleased if he knew you were here, which he will if he is watching from Mahal’s hall with Bilbo and Riley. Now, are you going to stop your jabbering or focus on what’s important? ” 

Fili was quicker on his feet than I anticipated and before I knew it, he tackled me so that I fell over and a sharp shard of ice sliced a part of my leg. I quickly got back up on my feet, ignoring the pain and then resumed skating passed the others. In the distance I saw Felix skating only slightly behind Legolas. 

One dwarf miscalculated his moves and fell right into a freezing pool of water, cursing in Khuzdul as the rest of us carried on. As I skated ahead, only Elrond and Gimli were ahead of me. 

“I know what you’re doing, Elrond.” I said “You are a fool.”

“Am I now?” Elrond asked “Sometimes a bit of foolishness is required if you are to come to your senses.” 

I’d reached the turning marker and as I thought Elrond was next to me, I heard his skates hit the ice as he slipped, no doubt on purpose that sly-orc and left me ahead of the competitors until finally, I reached the finish line where the onlooking audience applauded. 

“Ladies and gentlemen, we have our champion!” Master Óin called out “Lord Thranduil of Mirkwood!” 

Pride jolted through my body like lightning and through the crowd I saw Millicent applauding next to Maggie and Nat while they whispered amongst each other. No doubt about what would come next. 

A shared kiss as a token of gratitude for defending her honor. The noise of the crowd drowned away around us as I walked towards Millicent and the closer I got the louder I heard her heart beating, almost in sync with mine. Finally, I stood close enough to her that I could feel her breath and in that moment it was just the two of us.

“Congratulations on a victory well earned, my lord.” Millicent said “I didn’t think you had it in you.” 

“I’m glad to have earned your faith, rather than disbelief in my abilities, my lady.” I teased “I believe there is a time honored tradition to deal with?” 

Millicent nodded and once again I felt our hands lightly touch and then ass as the noise drowned away and it was just us two for a moment, she placed her lips on my cheek.

**_To be continued….._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **_I know, I know! It’s mean to tease! I want to save the actual kiss for the right moment, but maybe not too far off in the future. I did say this would be a slow burn. I hope you liked this chapter! I’d love to know your thoughts in the comments! How is Thranduil’s character developing?_ **
> 
> **_Next up: bowling and gift exchanging!_ **


	18. Gifts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which gifts are exchanged....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** A third chapter in a row, I basically had the Yule events written already, but needed to space them out. I can’t believe I’m at 50 reviews already! Thank you so much! I don’t know what I’d dow without you! I know things haven’t been particularly exciting, but things will pick up in this chapter! You just have to read it to find out!
> 
> Enjoy! 

**Chapter Eighteen**

_ Gifts  _

I was enjoying the Yuletide celebrations immensely. More so than I ever thought I would. For the first time since my arrival in Middle-Earth, I felt as though I belonged and that I was amongst friends. People who cared about me and whom I could confide in. I had not felt such kinship since Charlie died and only now did I realise I missed it. Sure, I was satisfied with my solitude and didn't mind the company of my own thoughts, but I had not been truly happy like this since Charlie died. Truthfully, I’d been afraid of finding such happiness again because it felt like a betrayal to his memory. Yet, somehow, I found myself happier in Middle-Earth than I had been in a very long time. It was a breath of fresh air and for the first time, the thought of going back home didn’t fill me with the same anticipation as it had before. 

After all these months there was still no word from Gandalf the wizard and if I was going to be here for the foreseeable future, I might as well make the most of it. 

Besides, the rift between Thranduil and I was finally beginning to close and even though Elrond was my companion for the week, I still enjoyed the time I’d spent with Thranduil. I hated to admit it, but something stirred inside me. Something I hadn’t felt since I first met Charlie and if I was perfectly honest, it terrified me. For several reason, one being that as much as I liked Middle-Earth, I didn’t belong here. I had a home in London - or at least I thought I did. The last thing I remember before my arrival was a German bomb falling from the sky. For all I knew, London might not exist anymore. Then again, Maggie said she was born in 1993 in Cardiff and I couldn’t help but wonder that if Cardiff still exists, maybe the bombing wasn’t that bad. I hadn’t dared asking about it, because one should never know too much of one’s future. 

Secondly, Thranduil was an elf and immortal at that. Even if by some miracle he felt the same way, what chance could we possibly have together? He was thousands of years old and in his eyes, I’m nothing but a child. Having spent the past couple of weeks in the company of Maggie and observed her relationship with Fili and Elrond, both of whom were significantly older than herself, I knew it was possible. I just wasn’t sure if it was possible for me. Especially when I couldn’t quite put words on what I was feeling. 

I was thrilled when Thranduil chose me as his companion of choice during the skating competition. I thought that perhaps he might choose someone else entirely because all eyes were on us. I will admit that my stomach became filled with butterflies as he strode towards me in that elegant and effortless way he always did. I knew we weren’t going to actually kiss, I don’t think either of was wanted to. It was like a silent understanding between the two of us and I was glad for it, even though I knew of some others who were disappointed. 

Just as Fili explained, it was time for bowling following the skating competition. I teamed up with Theo, Maggie, Nat and Felix and to my pleasant surprise we were a good team. I was glad to learn that bowling still existed in the future. The other team consisted of Legolas, Thranduil, Fili, Gimli and Elrond. Sure, we were a bit outnumbered but I’d like to believe our combined skill weighed up for it, especially as we won. 

I was also able to spend a bit more time with Nat and Theo, whose stories were also fascinating. I knew Theo was Maggie’s son who grew up in Middle-Earth during the time she was cast back to Earth with her brother. It was still strange to imagine that a year in our world was equal to over 60 years in Middle-Earth. It meant that even though Theo was Maggie’s son, he was old enough to be her grandfather, yet Theo and Nat had a son together, so Maggie was also a grandmother. It would still take time before I got used to things like these. 

In accordance with custom, I spent the next few days spending time with Elrond and getting to know him. From what I’d gathered, Elrond was an elf who enjoyed his privacy and I didn’t expect him to open up as much as he did. He told me about his life back in a land called Númenor and ancient wars he had fought. Elrond also told me about his wife who had passed long ago and his children - the twins Elladan and Elrohir and his daughter Arwen who was married to Aragorn. 

I listened with fascination and when he was done, he asked me about my world. I told him as much as I could and explained that it was different from Maggie’s world. I told him about my job as a nurse at the hospital, about kind old Mr Grayham and my noisy street in Shoreditch. I even told him about my favourite sweetshop that sold fudge so creamy it just melted on your tongue. Ever since the war started, I wasn’t able to get hold of it again. Sugar or sweets were hard to come by and we had to make do with what was available. Elrond listened with as much keen interest as I had and I found in him a loyal friend and a mentor. When there was time, he taught me a little bit about medicine in Middle-Earth and what herbs were used. I was immensely grateful, because eventually I would run out of the medicine I had brought with me and so it was paramount that I learn how to use the plants here. 

On Christmas Day morning, I awoke with anticipation, if a little tired. I’d spent the previous night in the kitchen with Maggie, Nat, Felix, Fili and Legolas sharing some drinks. Elrond and Thranduil were discussing business private elven business of some importance and it was their loss really. It was rare to see Fili letting his hair down, so to speak and enjoy a night without royal duties. As I watched Fili sit with his arm around his wife, it seemed as though things between him and Maggie were much better than when I first arrived. 

As I got dressed and looked myself in the mirror, a memory resurfaced of Christmases spent with Charlie in our apartment. I remember that first Christmas with extreme clarity because everything had been an utter disaster, but even with the chaos it was still perfect because it was ours. Back home, I was prepared to spend Christmas alone, even though it filled me with sadness, but now I was excited to share the holidays with my own found family here. I quickly gathered the presents I’d made or collected for the others and made my way towards the hall of stories, where the morning would be spent. 

“Millicent!” 

Legolas called out behind me and ran to catch up with me. 

“I hope I didn’t startle you.” Legolas apologised “I was hoping I could speak with you later, if you have time of course?”    
  
“Yes, of course.” I nodded “Is everything alright?” 

“Aye, I only wanted to speak with you about  _ ada _ . It is nothing you have to worry about." 

Despite Legolas' reassurance, I couldn't help but be nervous. As soon as we arrived at the hall of stories and inhaled the mingling scents of hot cocoa, cooked breakfast and the crackling of the fire place, the nerves disappeared. Eira ran towards me and jumped into my arms. She was dressed in the most adorable dress and reminded me of Mrs Williams' daughters across the road. 

I sat between Elrond and Felix and then helped myself to the fried bacon and scrambled eggs. Spirits were high and after breakfast, we all sat in front of the fire to exchange gifts. I watched as Eira excitedly open gifts and squealed with excitement over new dresses and toys from her family. When it finally came to my turn, I gave Elrond a wooden box and when he opened it, he saw it contained various pouches and labels. The elf-lord curiously opened each pouch and put them in front of him while he inhaled their scents. 

“These are medicinal herbs from my world." I explained as I picked up a pouch, "This is called foxglove. In nature it’s extremely poisonous, but if you dry it out it can be used to r egulate heartbeat and save lives in cases of heart failure. This one is called Jimson Weed, but sometimes also known as thorn apple. We use it to relieve symptoms of asthma, which is a chronic sickness of the lungs that makes it difficult to breathe. The best way to use thorn apple is to inhale it with a pipe. This one is called Valerian and its root when swallowed can be useful for sleeping problems or insomnia. What else...oh yes, wild thyme is a very helpful antiseptic, which prevents the spread of infection during injuries.”

Elrond and watched with fascination as I explained the herbs and their usage. Perhaps it was silly to gift him with herbs, especially as he was already a renowned and talented healer. 

“I know this is a lot to take in and there's a few more in there as well." I said nervously "I’ve written it all down for you as well. Here you go.”

"This is remarkable." Elrond said "This is an extraordinary collection. How did you come by these?" 

"I used to collect them. Charlie and I sometimes spent weekends in the countryside and we'd go for walks to search for plants I could use in my work. Medicine was sometimes scarce, so knowing what to use in nature was helpful." 

Elrond put the pouches back in the box and when he thanked me with a hug, I felt relieved. Next, it was Thranduil who reached for a bag tied with rope and rolled up a piece of parchment. For a moment, I thought I could hear his heart beating faster than usual as if he was nervous. I untied the rope wrapped around the pouch, eager to find out what was inside. The first thing that struck me was the familiar and gentle smell of vanilla and when I saw what was inside, my eyes widened with equal parts disbelief and joy. 

“This is fudge?” I asked “Actual fudge? How in the world were you able to get these?” 

“Maggie told me that in your world, especially during your time, your home has been under occupation. She also explained that there are some things that were particularly difficult to get hold of and I recall a dinnertime conversation where you mentioned fudge is your favourite. So, she kindly shared with me a recipe Master Baggins passed to her. I have no doubt that it won’t be anywhere near what you’re used to, but I thought perhaps a small piece of home might make things here a bit eas--” 

I interrupted Thranduil’s ramblings by practically throwing my arms around him. I wasn’t someone particularly bothered by material gifts, but the fact that Thranduil somehow managed to recreate one of my favourite things from home meant more than words could explain. More than anything, it showed that despite our differences and disagreements of late, he listened and he cared. 

“Thank you.” I whispered “You have no idea what this means to me.” 

“You are welcome.” Thranduil said 

In my whole life, I had never met people who so instantly accepted me as a part of their family. Here, there was no question of whether or not I belonged. Throughout that morning, we laughed together as more gifts were exchanged and stories were shared of past Yuletide celebrations. My heart was filled with so much pure joy that I hadn’t felt in a long time. When it was finally time for everyone to carry on with their day, I found myself alone in the hall of stories with Maggie, Nat and Felix. I could immediately tell they chose to stay behind for a reason, because their expressions turned more serious. 

“Is everything alright?” I asked, 

“We wanted to tell you something,” Maggie started “Nut thought it best to wait until everyone had gone.” 

“Tell me what?” I asked

“Our present to you,” Nat said “It’s not something material, but rather something we know.” 

I studied the look in all of their eyes.

“It’s about the war, isn’t it?” I asked “You know what happens?” 

The three of them nodded and Maggie squeezed my hand as she sat next to me. 

“5 years from when you left our world, on Tuesday the 8th of May 1945, Germany surrendered and the allies won the war.” Maggie explained 

“A few months later,” Felix said “Across the ocean, the Japanese also surrendered.” 

“Our world has never seen a war of that scale since then.” Nat explained 

I listened to their words, but I couldn’t understand it. All I’d known for the past year was the sound of sirens, the smell of blood and the screams of death. Even in my wildest dreams, I never dared imagine a future where Britain was free from the cruelty of Germany and where life could go back to normal. Ever since Charlie died, the only life I saw for myself was one where I tended to endless suffering and the idea of Germany winning the war, which meant that my life would be over. Before I knew it and much to my own surprise, I started crying and hot tears streamed down my cheek. 

“Millie, are you okay?” Nat asked “I’m so sorry, perhaps we shouldn’t have…” 

“No, no.” I replied “I’m grateful, because before I came here, I didn’t think any of it would end. After Charlie die, all I could ever see for myself was a life with more death and hatred. Knowing that it will eventually there will be peace and people will see their families again, that makes it all worth it. It means that Charlie didn’t die for nothing. It means that…:”

“It means you can move on..:” Felix guessed “From him.” 

I nodded and when I realised that’s exactly what it meant, I cried even more, but soon found myself wrapped in the arms of all three of them. Despite the tears, I knew I was also happy. 

* * *

I spent most of that day in my own company. The past week had been such an intense period of socialising through different events and I was exhausted, even though my heart was also full. Of course I indulged in a piece of two of Thranduil’s fudge, which was every bit as delicious as I had hoped. The combination of butter and sugar, along with vanilla melted perfectly on my tongue and I almost didn’t dare swallow it. Throughout the whole week, mealtime and dinner had been served in the Great Hall, but tonight was a time for family and I’d asked to take my supper in my bedroom. I didn’t mind spending time in chambers and as I sat down by my desk, I flicked through my old journal. I traced my finger across the names of the soldiers whom I had treated and wondered how they were doing now. A part of me felt guilty, because I had abandoned them and I had abandoned the oath I swore when I became a nurse. I wondered about old Mr Grayham and whether or not he was still alive. I recalled his words about whether or not I was writing down my own story. Back then, I didn’t believe I had one, but now I did. Only, he would never get to hear it from me. 

A loud bang snapped me out of my thoughts and when I came back to the moment, I realised it came from further down the hall! Eira’s room! I immediately ran out of my chambers and heard a familiar scream, but this time it wasn’t out of happiness or mischievousness, but rather one of fear. I ran as quickly as I could down the corridor and by the time I got to Eira’s room, the door was wide open, but there was nobody inside the chamber. All I saw was the window wide open and Eira’s echoing screams.

They had taken her. 

**_To be continued…._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **_DUN DUN DUN! Cliffhanger! I’m so sorry, I couldn’t resist! This idea popped into my head while I was writing! I wanted something exciting to happen amidst all the fluff! I hope you’re still enjoying it! Please leave a comment/review!_ **


	19. Chase

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Millicent, Thranduil and Maggie search for Eira.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Hello! I’m here with another update! Also, thank you so much for all the new follows! I’m overjoyed you guys like this! I was worried it might be a bit dull, but so far you guys seem to like it! Also, I realised I’d written in the last chapter that the kidnappers had snuck Eira out the window - obviously being under a mountain here is no window, so feel free to ignore it. 
> 
> Question for you: would you like the chapters to be longer or is this length decent? 
> 
> Let me know in the comments/reviews! Enjoy!

**Chapter Nineteen**

_ Chase _

I had never seen such rage as the fire in Fili’s eyes when he and Maggie found out that Eira had been taken. Within seconds, Fili ordered a search of the whole mountain and there wasn’t a person in sight not looking for the young princess. I too had to admit that I feared for Eira and wondered who could have taken her. There was no doubt in my mind that when Fili did find whoever took her, there would be no mercy shown. I’d always known that both Fili and Kili shared their uncle’s personality in more ways that one, but it was Fili who truly mirrored Thorin’s characteristics. I saw the look in Elrond’s eyes and I am certain that he too thought Fili would bring down the whole mountain with us under it. 

Which is why, when I saw Millicent following Maggie to the stables I decided to go after them. I knew what they were thinking, or at least I could hazard a guess. Outside, the weather had also taken a dramatic turn and a mix of rain and snow fell from the skies. I saw Maggie saddling a horse by the stables and Millicent standing by, neither of them noticing my presence. 

“Out there in the dark on your own? Maggie, that’s lunacy!” Millicent said as her voice quivered “You could get hurt on the way and then what good would that do Eira? I know you’re scared, believe me I am too, but you can’t go alone. You need me.” 

I watched as Millicent placed her hand on Maggie’s arm. For a moment, the queen of Erebor stood there pondering her thought and I couldn’t help but wonder what choice she would make. Finally, Maggie nodded in agreement and Millicent exhaled a relieved sigh. 

“Do you know how to ride horses?” Maggie asked “If not you’ll have to learn on the job. Alvis is fast, but kind. Take her.” 

I couldn’t believe they were both so reckless. While Maggie had indeed been queen under the mountain for several years, she was still not of this world and did not know all of its dangers. Not to mention Millicent was only just beginning to understand this world and all its creatures. She had not yet encountered its evils and as far as I understood, she did not possess any combat skills with which to defend herself. 

“I suppose either of you know the woods well enough to know where you’re going?" I asked "Without neither dwarrow nor elven senses to guide you? You'll either get hurt or die on the way.” 

My sudden appearance startled Maggie so much that she drew her sword and pointed it right at me. When she realised it was just me, she exhaled a relieved sigh and yielded 

“You can come with us or you can stay here.” Maggie said “Either way, my daughter has been taken and I am going to find her, whatever it takes. If you try to stop me, Thranduil, it won't be my husband's wrath that you have to worry about." 

I knew that if I did not come with them, I would indeed face the wrath of both Fili and Elrond. Obviously, I too wanted to find Eira because the child was precious to me. 

* * *

We rode for hours, mostly in silence. I took the lead as we crossed fields and forests in search of those who had taken Eira. I used my elven senses to trace the kidnappers, but anything I could pick up was vague. They were human and considering their speed, I also guessed they were skilled horsemen. I seriously doubted that they hailed from Rohan, because they had no quarrel with the dwarves of Erebor. In fact, Queen Éowyn and her brother Éomer were dear friends of Fili and Maggie. They both fought together with the fellowship and certainly had no ill will towards them. No, these foes were something new entirely and it troubled me. There were smaller villages whose people allied neither with the kingdoms of Gondor and Rohan nor with Erebor. They served only themselves, but why kidnap Eira? 

Nightfall came all too quickly and we slowed down in a secluded part of the forest, where we would be safe. Despite the darkness, the snow on the ground made it lighter and once we got a fire going and had some food, sleep would hopefully come easily. 

“We should camp here for the night.” I suggested “Lembas should keep our stomachs full until morning and there are herbs for tea.” 

“No!” Maggie protested as she dismounted her horse. “We can’t stop now, Eira needs us! God knows what will have happened to her if we wait until morning.” 

“What good will you be to Eira if you are too tired, hungry and unable to stand on your two legs?!” I asked. “You need your strength if you want to fight for her. We camp for the night.”

I saw the anger in Maggie’s eyes, fuelled by emotion and fear for her daughter’s life. We all felt it and rather than arguing with her, I put my hand on Maggie’s shoulder and squeezed it gently. Seconds later, tears streamed down her face and to my surprise she sobbed into my arms. It surprised not only me, but also Millicent who began to set up camp, while I comforted Maggie. Over the past few weeks, I knew that Maggie and I had finally put our differences aside and - dare I say it - were friends. The last time I saw her cry was during Thorin’s funeral. 

“Thranduil is right, Maggie..” Millicent agreed “We need rest and to come up with some sort of plan. We all want to find Eira, but we need to be smart about it. Let’s sort out something to eat and rest our feet for a bit, yeah?” 

Maggie nodded and exhaled a tired sigh. 

Some time later after we’d eaten, Maggie fell asleep by the fire, wrapped in a cocoon of blankets and only Millicent and I stayed awake. I wondered what was going through her mind about all of this. I knew that just as I, she had also come to love Eira. Neither of us wanted to see harm come to her. However, if anything were to happen to Millicent, I would feel guilty. All these months later, I still felt as though her wellbeing was my responsibility. If Gandalf ever did decide to bless us with his presence, I did not want him to think I did not care about Millicent. 

That was entirely the problem. 

I cared, perhaps too much. 

You may wonder when I realised this was the case? Truthfully, I couldn’t even tell you, but I could no longer deny that it was a fact. Most of my waking thoughts concerned whether or not she felt the same way. Our night watching the stars told me that she might, but then logic stepped over feelings. Why would she feel anything for me - somebody who in her mind is thousands of years old. Logic told me it was unfathomable, but then I knew that Elrond and Maggie were living proof that it was possible. 

“If I didn’t know any better,” I said “I’d have thought you put something in Maggie’s tea?”

“I put a bit of Valerian to calm her down.” Millicent confessed “It should help her rest for a few hours at least.” 

I couldn’t help but smile at her cunningness, but Millicent was also a good friend. 

“What of you?” I wondered “Will you be able to rest?” 

“I don’t think I’m tired enough to sleep.” Millicent replied, “Besides, it’ll be too cold to fall asleep when the fire goes out.”

“If it is the cold you worry about, why don’t you come and sit here?” 

The words came out of my mouth quicker than I intended and at first, I expected Millicent to decline my offer. Instead, she moved from her place by the fire and sat down next to me. For a moment, my heart skipped a beat, but I composed myself as I allowed my arm to rest around her shoulder. Months ago, a scenario like this would have been impossible, yet there we were. While we sat there, I gently ran my fingers through her blonde hair and almost instantly, Millicent relaxed and her heart beat steadied for the first time in a few hours. It wasn’t an uncomfortable silence and there was no need for words. Despite the graveness of the situation, I found myself happier than I had been in a very long time. 

Eventually, Millicent closed her eyes and fell asleep. While she slept in my arms and Maggie slept wrapped in blankets on the ground by the fire, I kept an eye out. For the first couple of hours, the forest lay silent. No animals walked on the snow-covered grass and only the North Wind made noise. In the silence, I wondered what was happening back in Erebor and if Fili’s search party had found Eira yet, or if they were still searching. Had Maggie told Fili that she was going off on her own? If so, I hoped Elrond knew that I was with them and would not let any harm come to either of them. 

From within the shadow of the trees, a branch snapped on the ground and I immediately sat up. A few moments later, Maggie and Millicent awoke, both aware that we were in the presence of something else. 

“What is it?” Millicent asked “Is it a monster?” 

Heavy steps pressed into the snow and crunched leaves and branches in its path. From its mouth came loud huffs and I knew it was some sort of creature. My hand grasped my sword tightly, but not even I knew if that would be good enough to defend us from whatever created headed it was that headed towards us. A deafening roar caught all our attention, but then to our surprise something changed. It was as though the roar became quieter and the footsteps less heavy, as though the creature was changing. 

I knew then what the creature was and as large footsteps made its way through the terrain, Millicent tightly grabbed my hand. 

It was no animal that stood before us though. 

It was an abnormally large and hairy man. 

“Beorn.” both Maggie and I said at the same time.

**_To be continued…_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **_I know that was rather a short chapter, sorry about that! Don’t worry though, I have plans for the next one and I’m going to try to make them longer from here on end. Also, I know I’m kind of messing with the distance between Erebor and the woods where Beorn live, but bear with me on this one. What did you think? Who do you think has taken Eira? And how do you feel about Millicent and Thranduil getting closer? Too soon or is it at the right pace? Please leave a comment/review :)_ **


	20. Beorn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which a new friend is made and enemies are fought....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Hello! Happy Friday and happy new chapter day! Not much to say about this one, except let’s go find Eira! Also, I am terrible at writing action scenes and I apologise in advance. 
> 
> Enjoy! 

**Chapter Twenty** **  
  
**

_ Beorn  _

Beorn was unlike any other creature I’d seen or could have possibly imagined. When he stumbled through the woods and I saw him change from a gigantic bear to a large man, I didn’t know what to say. I certainly wondered whether or not he was friend or foe, but when both Maggie and Thranduil greeted him by name, I knew he was no threat to us. A million questions immediately began to whirl in my mind, but there was no time to ask them. All that mattered was Eira and I had a horrible feeling that we were running out of time. Beorn immediately took the lead and knew where he was going. One thing became clear in our hunt for the enemy: these woods belonged to Beorn. He knew every root, bush and tree whereas we did not and I realised how dangerous it would have been, had Maggie and I ventured out on our own. I was grateful for the company of not only Beorn, but also Thranduil.

I wasn’t a mother, so I had no idea what thoughts were going through Maggie’s mind. I only knew that she had suffered enough loss of family in her life and would do anything to get her daughter back. Even if it cost her own life. Although I was a war nurse, I had no direct experience of war. I had never been out in the field myself and I had never held a single weapon in my life. I didn’t know how to fight or defend myself and had no use out here. Yet, I knew I couldn’t stay behind in Erebor. A part of me felt guilt, because I was the one who saw Eira being taken and was unable to do anything to stop her. If I had been a little faster on my feet and more alert, maybe Eira would still be with us. 

“Stop.” 

Beorn’s command was clear and we crouched behind a dense set of bushes. A strong scent of smoke and cooked meat filled my nose and when I looked ahead, flames from a campfire burned brightly. At first, I thought the dark played tricks on my mind, but when I gazed closer it wasn't humans I saw. At least, some of them weren’t. I thought Beorn was a strange enough creature, but he had kindness inside him. I knew at once that these new creatures were foul and evil. Their faces were deformed, with crooked noses and large boils on them. They were much wider than people, but were more akin to animals of sorts. From the vicinity of my eyes, I saw the looks on both Maggie’s and Thranduil’s face - they knew what they were and did not like it. 

“I have been hunting this orc-pack for weeks.” Beorn explained “They came into my territory and slaughtered my animals. I picked up their scent some hours ago, just before I heard you three.”

“Orc pack?” Maggie asked “We saw traces of humans humans from Erebor, not orcs.” 

“I sense perhaps a rather unholy alliance has been formed.” Thranduil guessed “Orcs working together with humans. It has happened before.” 

“Well, screw their alliance. I’m getting my daughter.” 

To my surprise, it wasn’t Thranduil who stopped Maggie, but instead Beorn placed his enormous hand on her shoulder. The queen of Erebor didn’t protest, instead she only exhaled a sigh and backed down from her stance. 

“I know your daughter is there.” Beorn empathised “But, we must proceed with caution. If we charge without care, we risk her life.” 

“If we wait for too long then we also risk her life.” Maggie said “I will not return to Erebor without Eira. Millie, you should stay here. You have no combat training and I do not wish to see you hurt. Besides, we could use your skills.” 

I nodded in agreement, not wishing to join the fight. My skills were with healing and not in armed combat. The conviction in Maggie’s voice was clear and nobody argued with her. After that, everything happened so quickly. On Beorn’s mark, he, Thranduil and Maggie charged towards the camp. Up until that point, I’d never seen an elf in battle, but as I watched Thranduil - I couldn’t help but be awed. While it was easy enough to see that Maggie had been trained to defend herself, however Thranduil was born with the grace of a warrior. He swung his blade with such effortless motion that it seemed as though he was dancing. The camp didn’t know what hit them and while I saw the three of them fighting their way to Eira, I was the one who saw a chance. Eira was sitting on the edge of the camp, with her hands bound and unable to move. The orcs and humans were too busy fighting to see her and so I took my chance. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t scared - in fact, I was terrified, but I put my fears aside and focused on Eira. 

The terrain ahead of me was difficult. I was born and raised in the city and had mainly only spent time in the countryside on weekends and holidays. I pushed past the sharp branches and knew I’d have several scratches to deal with later and as I approached the camp, I saw and heard Eira. She screamed for her mother and cried out of fear. Luckily, I was able to approach her without being noticed and when she saw me, her eyes widened. I removed the cloth covering her mouth and quickly untied both her hands and feet. As soon as she was free, Eira threw her arms around me. 

“Millie! You found me!” Eira sobbed “Where’s mummy?” 

“Your mummy will be right behind us.” I assured her “We must go, right now. Hold on to me.” 

Eira grabbed my shoulders tightly as I got up on my feet, ready to run back to our hiding place. Unfortunately, I didn’t get very far before a large man with broad shoulders and short, nearly white hair. Seconds later, he pulled out his sword from his sheath and aimed it right at me. With each step that pressed into the ground, my heartbeat increased and I began to feel scared. Despite my own feelings, I would not allow Eira to come to harm on my watch.

“Drop the child.” said the stranger “It would make it easier for us both.” 

“No, I won’t.” I protested. “If you want her, you’ll have to go through me.” 

A nasty grin tugged at his lips, as though he was pleased with himself. 

“Oh, sweet girl.” he chuckled “That shall be easy.”

Eira dug her nails into my shoulder, where she also buried her face. Slowly, I backed away, until I found myself bumping into someone behind me. I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply, thinking my moment had come. Instead of a sword at my throat, however, the touch of a familiar hand squeezed my shoulder. I was glad that Eira looked behind me, because before I knew it, a sharp sword cut through the body of the man in front of me. Maggie’s expression was blank as she retrieved her sword and exhaled with relief. 

“Malhas…” she whispered

“You knew him?” I asked “How?” 

“Let’s just say we go way back. It’s not the first time that he’s tried to take a child of mine. Some people don’t like the fact that there are half-human, half-dwarrow children.” 

It shouldn’t have come as a surprise to me. Prejudice towards different races exists back home as well, it just didn’t occur to me that it would exist in Middle-Earth. Eira was only a child and couldn’t help who her parents were. 

“ _ Naneth _ !” Eira cried out as Maggie walked towards us. 

Eira practically jumped into Maggie’s arms and I exhaled the breath I’d been holding. It was over, I hoped and we could return. 

“My house is close.” Beorn revealed “It would be wise for you to stay there tonight and return to Erebor in the morning. I have food and empty beds for you to sleep in, but we should hurry.” 

None of us argued. 

* * *

I don’t know what I expected from Beorn’s house, but once again I found myself in awe. Beorn’s house was surrounded by oak trees, a large thorny hedge and a high wooden gate. Once we stepped inside, I saw a garden unlike any I had ever seen. There were bee-hives spread out and a vague scent of honey seemed to linger in the air. As I studied our host’s home, I also noticed there were stables nearby and several patches of grass where sheep grazed. In the dark, fireflies lit up the sky and I couldn’t help but to stare. 

Beorn invited us inside and for the first couple of hours, Eira refused to let go of Maggie. I wanted to make sure she didn’t have any major injuries and when I was certain Eira would be alright, if a bit shaken, Maggie tucked her into bed. 

“You are not of this world.” Beorn said. “You carry the same air as young Queen Margaret.” 

I nodded, realising there was no point hiding anything from Beorn. 

“Yes, I am from Maggie’s world.” I explained “Although, I come from a different time. I was born in 1914 and I found myself in Middle-Earth, it was 1940. Maggie was born 1993, almost 100 years from my birth.”  “I gather the Valar sent you?” Beorn guessed “To fulfill a quest?”   
  
“That’s what I’m told, not something so grand as to fight a war, though.” 

“All quests are grand in their own way. You need only find its purpose. Here, drink this.” 

I accepted the metal tankard Beorn passed to me and from its chamomile smell, I guessed it was some sort of tea. I allowed the tea to linger in my mouth before I swallowed it. Chamomile tea was something I used to drink back home and it was nice to have a sense of familiarity. Without a sound, Beorn retired to what I assumed was his own chambers and I was left alone with Thranduil. My shoulders stung and as I briefly pulled down the fabric of my dress, I saw marks from thorns and from the way it burned, I assumed it was some kind of poison or ivy. 

“Pass me that cloth, will you?” I asked “There’s some water in a bucket as well.” 

Thranduil grabbed the cloth behind him and as I studied my injuries, I knew they would be hurting for a while. 

“Ow!!” I cried out “I can do it myself, you know.”   
  
“I know,” Thranduil said “But, I shall.” 

Carefully, Thranduil dabbed the wet cloth on the wounds and I bit my tongue. For being a nurse, I had a low threshold for pain and much preferred to deal with my own injuries to spare others. After the past few hours though, I had to admit it was nice to have company and not alone in Beorn’s quiet hall. I didn’t mind that while Thranduil’s used one hand to clean the blood off my skin, his other hand rested on the other side of my shoulder. His thumb gently stroked the skin under my ear and whispered quiet words in Elvish. 

This was not the same Thranduil whose threshold i had stumbled upon months ago and what scared me the most is the fact that I didn’t mind. 

“Eira is finally asleep and---” Maggie said as she walked into the room and stopped when she saw us. “I’m so sorry, I clearly interrupted someth---”   
  
“No.” Thranduil intervened “Not at all. In fact, I think it is perhaps wise that we all retire for the night. I am sure Fili is anxiously waiting for us to return, so I suggest we leave at first light.” 

“That is a great idea.” I agreed “I’m exhausted, Maggie why don’t you show me where the sleeping quarters are.” 

Maggie nodded and I could tell from her expression that she had several questions in mind, but they would have to wait. 

She wasn’t the only one.

**_To be continued…._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **_Not an amazing chapter, but a chapter nonetheless. Next one will be longer and more interesting. I know they haven’t kissed yet and I’m waiting for the right moment. I’d love to know how you feel about their relationship right now? Does it feel realistic at all? Please leave a review/comment._ **


	21. Agreement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Thranduil and Maggie come to an agreement.....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N** : Happy Sunday! Here’s another chapter for you! Also, I can’t believe this story has over 100 kudos! Thank you so much! I’m so glad y’all are enjoying it!

**Chapter Twenty-One**

_Agreement_

As agreed upon, we journeyed back to Erebor at first light. All four of us filled with equal parts relief and exhaustion, none more so than Maggie and Eira. Once, when Legolas an elfling, he too wandered and got himself lost in Mirkwood, without knowing of its dangers and how it affects the mind. The strong curse on the woods affects even the minds of young elves who have not long been part of this world. For two days Legolas walked in a mist of hallucination and confusion, until he found himself in a part of the woods where not even I had previously ventured. We searched for him without any luck and I recall being filled with despair at the thought of losing my son, shortly after losing his mother. Eventually, we found Legolas curled up on the ground against a large tree-trunk. Frightened, naturally and cold. For a long time afterwards, he was frightened of the woods and dared not explore it alone. I empathised with Maggie and knew what she felt at the thought of losing Eira. 

“ _ Adad _ !” Eira cried out “Mummy found me!”

Eira practically jumped into Fili’s arms and grabbed him tightly. A few seconds later, she sobbed into her father’s shoulder and I saw tears streaming down Fili’s eyes as well. Many people are under the impressions that dwarves are tough creatures, who do not care for others and only themselves. This is far from true and dwarves care greatly for those of their kin, especially children. 

“I am so glad you have been found,  _ gimlelul.”  _ Fili whispered “I could not stand the thought of losing that which is most precious to me.” 

Fili wrapped one of his arms around Maggie and the three of them walked down the corridor. Beside me, Millie exhaled an exhausted sigh and I too felt weary. 

“You have been hurt.” Elrond noticed and saw the scars on Millie’s shoulder. “We should see to that.”   
  
“Oh, it’s nothing.”she lied “Just a scrape from some thorns, I’ll be fine.”

“Nonsense. That will get infected if left untreated.E You should know better. Come, let us see what we can do.” 

Millie followed Elrond and I decided it was time for a well-earned sit down. 

* * *

_ “Adar,  _ may I come in?” 

I gestured for Legolas to enter my chamber. As was often the case in Mirkwood, I sat at my desk scribing down words on paper. I knew I needed to write Hallath a letter, explaining that my return would likely be more delayed than anticipated. There was nobody else I trusted with my kingdom more than Hallath and truthfully, being away from Mirkwood had done me good. I had a feeling that this latest misadventure would become an even stronger reason for Fili and Maggie to visit Rivendell, which meant that Millicent would more than likely want to come with them. I could of course return to Mirkwood alone, but I too hadn’t seen Rivendell in quite some time and I know Elrond would appreciate it. 

“I know that look in your eyes, Legolas Greenleaf.” I said “What troubles your mind, _ ion-nin _ ?” 

“Nothing is troubling me,” Legolas said “Quite the opposite, in fact.”

I turned to Legolas, and shifted my weight in the share. 

“You have my attention,” I said “What do you mean?” 

Legolas silenced for a moment, as though he pondered what to say next. I was well aware that the last time Legolas and I lived under the same roof, having conversations was not always easy. I will admit that I do have a temper and it used to be much worse, but at the time, Legolas also had a temper. Sharp words would turn into loud arguments that sent the squirrels of Mirkwood seeking shelter in the tree-tops. I saw the same apprehension in his eyes, which he always had when he wanted to talk about something I might not like. 

“Let us be honest,  _ adar _ .” Legolas began “You have always been very vocal regarding your opinion of dwarves. Now, you’re helping them search for a missing child in the middle of the night?”   
  
“What is your point of this interrogation?” I asked, even though I knew full well where Legolas was going. “Can an elvenking not acknowledge the error of his previous ways and seek to mend broken bonds?” 

Legolas crossed one leg over the other and leant back in his chair. 

“Aye, but this elvenking seldom does things without reason.” he said matter-of-factly, as only a son of mine would 

“And what reason do you think I have for my change of heart?” I asked “I can tell it’s on the tip of your tongue, do not be shy.” 

Legolas leaned forward. 

“Millicent,” he replied “She has changed you. I can see it and so can the rest of us, except it seems yourself.” 

“Have you been speaking with Maggie and Elrond?” I sighed “They seem to believe that Millicent has been sent by the Valar on some grand quest to soften my heart.”   


“You do not? Do not be a fool,  _ adar _ . I can see how your eyes linger on her when you believe nobody else is looking. When she is near, your heart beats faster and truthfully, it has been almost a thousand years since I heard you laugh with genuine joy. Can you truly ignore that her presence  _ has  _ softened you?” 

No. I could not, but I would not tell my son. It did, however, became clear to me that Legolas was too perceptive for his own good. I had raised him well. 

“ _ Adar _ , I know that you and I have had our differences and that things have not been the same since  _ Naneth _ passed, nor since I joined the fellowship.” Legolas said “But I  _ do  _ love you and I wish for nothing but your happiness and a chance that you may find love again. I like Millicent a great deal. Not many people would write a letter and send for a son so selflessly. If you ever do pull that stick out of your rear end and decide to court her properly, you have my blessing. That is all I wanted to say.”

Legolas left my chambers without saying anything further and I found myself more confused than I had been before. 

* * *

“You know, if Thorin could see us, he’d be furious to know you’re here.” 

It was late evening when I found Maggie sitting cross-legged on the floor, with a tankard in her hand. Judging by its smell, I could tell it was dwarrow ale and as I sat down next to Maggie, she stretched out her hand and offered me the tankard. Dwarrow ale was usually not to my taste, but it had been a trying few days and so I decided it was exactly what I needed. I washed around the bitter liquid in my mouth before swallowing, recalling exactly why I didn’t normally drink it. 

“Do you think he does?” I asked carefully “Watch over you, I mean?” 

“Yeah, I’d like to think so.” Maggie replied. “I come here sometimes when I need to think or when I just need someone to listen. You wouldn’t think it, but he was always a great listener.” 

Maggie stretched out on the floor and exhaled an exhausted sigh. I wanted to ask how Eira was faring, but I also didn’t want to overstep. Maggie and I had only just begun to become actual friends and I did not wish for my words to jeopardise that. 

“I meant to say thank you, for helping us find Eira.” Maggie said “You were right, we couldn’t have done it without you. Both Fili and Elrond say that I often react without thinking first and they’re right.”   
  
“I am only glad we found her.” I told her 

I took another sip of the ale and passed the tankard to Maggie. 

“She’s quite smitten with you, my daughter.” Maggie chuckled, “I reckon she’d put up a good fight with Millie.” 

It was true, I knew. The small child had taken a liking to me and always wanted to be in presence whenever she had an opportunity. To my surprise, I did not mind. 

“That reminds me, by the way.” the young queen continued “I’m sorry for barging in on you and Millie back at Beorn’s house. You were in the middle of something and I should have read the room.” 

“Please, do not apologise.” I assured her “Actually, I’m glad you did because there’s something I wish to speak with you about.”   
  
Maggie’s eyebrows furrowed and she pulled herself back up to a sitting position. 

“Are you certain you’d not rather speak with Elrond?” she joked “Though, I will admit that sometimes his interests are elsewhere invested.”

“You mean to say ---” I bega    
  
“That he can be a sly bastard if he wants to? Oh absolutely, Elrond has his secrets, but I love him nonetheless. So, what is you wish to speak about?” 

For a moment, I struggled to form the words I wanted to say, even though I knew exactly what they were. I had been thinking about them for a long time and since the conversation with Legolas earlier that day, I knew what must be done. Perhaps, it was indeed rejection I feared, but I also knew in my heart that I had to do what it told me. 

“It is my wish to court Millicent,” I confessed, “Properly. I no longer want to dance around my desires.”

Maggie studied me carefully for a while, as though decided whether or not she believed me and she would be right to.

“Why the change of heart?” she asked “I thought you had no such interest and that you did not believe this prophecy?” 

“I am not certain I do, but even I cannot deny that we have been growing closer.” I replied “I would like to show her that I care in my own way. Will you help me, Queen Margaret?” 

Without hesitation, Maggie nodded.

“I will,  _ hir-nin _ Thranduil.” she agreed “I can tell the two of you have something and I’d like to help.”

“Hanta, hantanyel. Truly.” I said with relief “Although, please don’t tell that half-elven snake. You and I both know that if he hears of this, he will never...as you put it once….let me live it down.” 

“You have my word.” 

For the first time in a long while, I felt a sense of relief and gratitude. Perhaps, I thought, things would be alright in the end.

**_To be continued….._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **_Another chapter done! I know it’s not very long, but I hope you like it nonetheless! Leave me comment! ****_**


	22. Intermission

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Millie takes a break...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Another week, another chapter! Thank you so much for commenting! It means a lot to me! Life is a little crazy right now with Covid and a lot of things going on. If you’re American, I hope you’re handling the election stress well as one can do! Not much to say about this chapter, so let’s just jump into it! I hope you guys don’t think I’m moving too slowly, but please let me know! 
> 
> Enjoy! 

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

_ Intermission  _

I must have slept for what felt like a whole day. After all, it was difficult to tell time under a mountain and the longer time I spent in Erebor, the more I couldn’t help but feel as though time didn’t matter. Back home in London and in my world, I’d always been concerned with doing things in a timely manner. I loathed being late for work and cared perhaps too much about how my tardiness was perceived in my career. In hindsight, it was all because of my own anxieties of course and a way to deal with the frustration around me. Ever since arriving in Middle-Earth, I’d barely felt any of that and I accepted that things moved at a slower pace. I was content in my new daily life and I found little need for it to change. I looked forward to visiting Rivendell with Thranduil, Elrond, Maggie and Fili in the next few weeks. Elrond had spoken so much about it and in my mind, Rivendell seemed like a magical place. 

Since we returned from Beorn, with Eira safe and sound, I’d barely seen Maggie or Thranduil. Elrond insisted on attending to my very minor wounds from the forest chase, but other than that I’d mainly spent time in my room catching up on much needed sleep. By the time I woke up, I actually felt well rested and I assumed if anything important were to happen, someone would knock on my door. It was rather lovely having a whole day to myself and being able to reflect on the events of the past few days and weeks. 

Thranduil was of course on my mind, as always. I could no longer deny the fact that we seemed to have become much closer of late. There was the stargazing night during Yule week, the dancing at the ball, falling asleep in his arms in the woods and then the night at Beorn. My feelings were still conflicted and I wasn’t sure what to make of anything. I did like Thranduil, that much I knew, but there were also a lot of insecurities whirling around in my head. Nothing could deny the fact that Thranduil had become an entirely different elf since I first met him. He was no longer the same abrasive, angry elvenking I had first met. Instead, he was kind, thoughtful, empathetic and genuinely cared for those around him. The fact that he chose to come along and save Eira truly showed how much he had changed and even I had to admit that I found it admirable. 

I asked one of the kind dwarrowdam servants to have breakfast in my room. I didn’t feel like being social just yet and I was sure the others would understand. After all, it had been an intense few days. I enjoyed a quiet and peaceful breakfast on my bed and allowed myself to take time inhaling the scents of hot tea. I don’t know why it surprised me so much that breakfasts in Middle-Earth weren’t too different from that at home. It varied between dwarves, elves and humans, but mostly it was the same. Dwarrow breakfasts were more hearty than that of elves which consisted mostly of fruits, lembas bread and tea. 

After breakfast, I decided to explore the mountain, which I hadn’t done much of since arriving. With Yuletide celebrations and everything else happening, it didn’t leave me with much time alone. I didn’t mind, because I enjoyed the company of everyone else, but if I was completely honest, I missed my own privacy a little. From the outside, it was impossible to gauge the sheer size of Erebor as a kingdom, while on the inside one was simply overwhelmed by the structure of the mountain. Its enormous halls were always filled with noise and there were so many chambers and rooms I couldn’t even count. I knew I’d only seen a very small part of the kingdom and I was curious about what else was hidden in the various chambers of Erebor. 

I covered my shoulders with a cloak, grabbed a lantern from my bedside table and left my room. My room was in one of the guest chambers, not far from the kitchen and so the corridors were always filled with the scent of Bombur’s cooking, which gave it all a very homey feeling. I couldn’t help but wonder what Rivendell was like, compared to Erebor. Other than obviously not being a mountain. I was also curious to find out if there was any kind of difference between the Mirkwood elves and the Rivendell ones. Elrond and Thranduil were in stark contrast to each other, yet they had remained friends for millenia. 

I wasn’t sure how long I’d wandered, but I suddenly found myself in a corridor I had yet to discover. There was only one room down there, guarded by two enormous iron gates, with dwarrow and elven (by the looks of it) letters on it. Carefully, I grabbed one of the heavy iron rings and pulled the door open. Out of all the things I knew existed in Middle-Earth and in Erebor, I had not expected a library. Inside, there were shelves upon shelves of books and rolled up parchments, some of them dustier than others. Just like everywhere in Erebor, there was a huge roaring fireplace towards the back of the library, bigger than any of the others I’d encountered so far. There were also tables and reading corners spread out, but the thing that fascinated me more than anything else, was the gigantic mural painted across the wall on the right hand side. It portrayed a tall man, or giant of sorts, swinging a hammer and beneath him were dwarves cowering before him. The scene took place in what I assumed was a mountain and I couldn’t take my eyes off it. 

"That is Aulë the Destroyer.” came a familiar voice “He is our creator.” 

“Oh, Fili!” I gasped in surprise, “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to bother you.”

“Nonsense, no bother at all.” Fili assured me, “Why don’t you come and join me.” 

The blonde dwarf sat by a large table, with several books and manuscripts in front of him, as well as a tankard. Fili was always polite and proper whenever I’d interacted with him, but I could immediately tell he was more relaxed. His legs were up on the table, his cloak hanging on the chair behind him and he wore what I could only describe as more relaxed clothes than a king on duty. I sat down opposite him and felt a bit nervous, because other than when I asked him to send a letter to Legolas, we had never been alone together. Fili was kind though and I wasn’t afraid of him. 

“Who is Aulë?” I asked “I’ve never heard that name before.”

  
“He is one of the Valar, the gods who created Middle-Earth.” Fili explained “Aulë created dwarrows because he was impatient for the arising of the Children of Ilúvatar - elves and men - and wished for children of his own to love and instruct. It was a period known as the Sleep of Yavanna, when Middle-Earth was dark and silent and roamed by monsters.” 

“He doesn’t look so kind on that mural.” 

Fili removed his legs from the table and leaned forward, with a glint of mischief in his eyes that I had never seen before. Maggie told me stories of how Fili and his brother Kili were when they were younger and I found it hard to believe that this was the same dwarf. 

“Aulë made dwarves so that they would be strong, resistant and endure many hardships; but because he only knew a little of what the Children of Ilúvatar would look like, his own creations became different, shorter and more stunted. He created seven Dwarves, and was teaching them the language he had devised for them, which we call Khuzdul, but Aulë was not Ilúvatar who had the Flame Imperishable and his children were dumb, able to move and speak only if he wished so, and would remain motionless whenever Aule would think elsewhere.” 

“What happened?” I asked 

“Well, Ilúvatar confronted him for his impatience. Aulë offered his creations to Ilúvatar and was ready to break them in repentance. But Ilúvatar accepted his offer and gave them life of their own, and the Dwarves started cowering and pleading for mercy despite Aulë’s will.” 

My eyes widened with surprise and I quickly turned to the mural beside us. I realised the giant with the hammer in his hand must be Aulë and the cowering creatures before him were the early dwarves of Middle-Earth. Creation myths on Earth were just that; myths. There was no way to prove whether they were real or not and mostly they were believed to be works of fiction. In Middle-Earth, it seemed as though these creation stories actually happened and that these Valar - who I figured were essentially gods - had created this world. The same Valar who presumably sent me here. 

“Ilúvatar confronted him for his impatience. Aulë offered his creations to Ilúvatar and was ready to break them in repentance. But Ilúvatar accepted his offer and gave them life of their own, and the Dwarves started cowering and pleading for mercy despite Aulë's will.” Fili continued and I listened with great interest. 

“However, the Fathers of the Dwarves had to wait until the Elves first arrived, and Aulë laid them to rest in various places in Middle-earth. The eldest of all, Durin, "lay alone" at Mount Gundabad in the north of the Misty Mountains. He later founded the line of the Longbeards, the Dwarves which were most friendly to the Elves and Men, mostly referred to as Durin's Folk. His city was Khazad-dûm. Two others were laid to rest in the Ered Luin or _Blue Mountains_ , and they founded the lines of the Broadbeams and the Firebeards who later lived in Nogrod and Belegost. The other four Fathers of the Dwarves were laid to rest in two pairs in Rhûn; lands at least as far east of Mount Gundabad as it lay east of the Blue Mountains. They founded the lines of the Ironfists, Stiffbeards, Blacklocks, and Stonefoots. It was said that the Seven Fathers would be reincarnated after generations among their own folk.Durin for example was said to be reincarnated six more times.”

“Do you believe that?” I asked “That they will reincarnate?” 

Fili nodded. “Aye, it’s a belief my people have carried with them for many thousands of years.” 

I fell silent for a few moments, pondering the story Fili had told me and felt more awestruck than before. Dwarrows were a complex peoples, with a rich history and a proud culture. They were loyal beyond anything I’d encountered and incredibly affectionate. I was grateful to have come here and no matter what happened in the future, I would always have this. 

“What brings you down to this part of the mountain, then?” Fili asked, “A thirst for adventure?” 

“I’ve had quite enough adventure for a while.” I replied “To be honest, I was just curious and wanted to see what else was here. I didn’t expect to find a library, though.” 

"Aye, it’s quite magnificent and one of our great prides. People from all over Middle-Earth have come here to take part in our knowledge. Besides, this is one of the rare places where I get a bit of alone time.” Fili confessed, “Don’t get me wrong, I love my wife and daughter dearly. As well the rest of my family, but sometimes it is nice to have some space. Eira isn’t allowed in here because well…”

  
“Because she’s a child?” 

“Aye, indeed. I do not think the old manuscripts on these shelves would survive her.” 

Both Fili and I laughed, realising it was more than true. Eira was a lovely child and full of energy, which I guessed she had inherited from her father. If she was anything like Fili had been as a young dwarf, then he and Maggie were in for a long journey. 

“You really love being a father, don’t you?” I said, it was more of a statement than a question. “I can see it in your eyes whenever you talk about Eira.” 

“Yes, I do.” Fili admitted with a smile, “Ever since I raised Theo in Maggie’s absences, I longed for children of my own and for a while, I thought that would never happen.”

“Until Maggie came back, from our world?” 

“She told you?” 

I nodded. I didn’t want anyone to think I was prying, but Maggie had shared her story with me, if anything because it made me feel less frightened and alone. I was away from my home and my world, but if I was suddenly pulled back to Earth, without figuring things out with Thranduil, I know for a fact that I would be sad. 

“I can’t imagine how hard it must have been to be without her.” I said “For both you and Elrond.” 

“Aye, they were dark times. In those darkest of moments, I was convinced that I could not live without Maggie. You see, Millicent, dwarves only get one partner in a lifetime. We call them our One and Maggie is mine. Yes, I share her with Elrond, but without her life was empty.” Fili told me, “But good things also came from that time. I learned that I loved parenthood and raising theo brought me an indescribable amount of joy. I also learned how to become a king. Elrond also became a very dear friend to me and without him, everything would have been a lot harder.”

“Having someone by your side like that must have meant the whole world.”

"I owe him a great debt.” 

I exhaled a sigh, wondering what Elrond’s version of that time was. Had he also suffered with heartache such as Fili had? Maybe I could ask him about it next time we spoke, unless he found it too personal. Another question also whirled in my mind that I was perhaps a little too afraid to ask, but Fili had almost read my mind. 

“Elves fall in love more than once.” Fili explained “Not often, because they are immortal, but it does happen.” 

“You think he--”

“I think he is frightened of his own feelings, but perhaps he isn’t the only one?” 

I prided myself on being able to read others with ease, without considering that they might also be able to read me. Fili was right of course, I was afraid of my feelings. I still worried about betraying Jamie, who I had thought was the great love of my life. While I was lost in thought, Fili placed his hand on mine, with a kind and gentle smile tugging at his lips. 

“There is no shame in moving on,” he said “Just because you have loved once, it does not mean you are not allowed to find love again. Allow it time to grow. There is no rush.” 

“I just can’t help but feel like everyone’s got it all wrong and that I’m not the one who’s supposed to redeem his heart. And if I am, why does that burden fall on me? How is it fair to pull me away from everything I’ve ever known without giving me a chance to think about it. Charlie was the love of my life and I thought I would share with him, and now suddenly I have feelings for...for…..”

Before I knew, hot tears streamed down my face and I found myself sobbing. Fili came over to me and wrapped me in a comforting hug. 

“It’ll be fine,  _ Gehyith _ .” Fili whispered, “Do not concern yourself with the thoughts of others. Regardless of what a prophecy might say, your choice is the only thing that matters here. I believe Thranduil cares for you more than he is willing to admit at the moment, but if you are not ready to explore that, nobody will judge you.” 

“I just wish I understood why I’m the one who has to be some sort of ‘chosen one’.” I sobbed “I’m just a girl from London.” 

“You and Thranduil have both suffered great losses of love. Perhaps it is the Valar’s will to show you that it can be found again, but whatever happens will be on your own terms.” 

Logically, I knew that Fili was right, but in that moment everything became incredibly overwhelming. Above all, I was homesick and I missed my life in London even with the war. The worst part of it all was that I had a horrible feeling I would never see home again. 

**_To be continued…._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **_There we go! A slightly longer and more emotional chapter, with some added lore about Middle-Earth which I love! I’d love to know what you guys thought about it! What will happen next? Leave a comment/review!_ **


	23. Rivendell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which they travel to Rivendell...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Helllooo! I’m back with another chapter! Sorry it took so long to update, I’ve had a writer’s block from hell and life has been hectic! 
> 
> Side note: I know in reality the journey between Erebor and Rivendell is LONG, but for the sake of speeding things up, I won’t specify exactly how long they’re on the road for. 
> 
> Anyway, I hope the wait will have been worth it and that you enjoy this chapter! 

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

_ Rivendell  _

  
  


**Thranduil’s POV**

A week passed and eventually, a sense of normality returned to the mountain. Eira seemed to regain her spirits after the no-doubt traumatising events of her kidnapping. Fili had taken somewhat of a break from his kingly duties to spend more time with his family, which appeared to be a perfect opportunity for Theo to practice ruling the mountain that was his birthright. I had to admit that while Theo bears a striking resemblance to his father, Thorin, I’d wrongfully accused him of the same brash behaviour and unjustly resented him. I was wrong to do so and I knew that Theo would become a great king and that when Fili and Maggie both retired, the kingdom would be in great hands. Thorin would be proud of his son and both Fili and Elrondhad done a grand job of raising him. 

Speaking of Elrond, he too had been rather absent of late and spent most of his time with Eira, Maggie and Fili. Since our arrival in Erebor, Elrond and I had spent most evenings sharing a fine glass of wine in the great hall or Elrond’s study, discussing matters of the past, present and future. Lately, my evening company usually consisted of either my son, Felix or Master Óin and while I missed the company of my oldest friend, I was glad for the company of my new ones. I had no doubt that spending time in Rivendell would be good for everyone, myself included and I looked forward to showing Millie yet another majestic kingdom of Middle-Earth. 

Millicent occupied most of my mind, when I allowed my thoughts to wander. Since the events in the woods and at Beorn’s house, I decided it might be best to give her a little bit of space. I did not wish for her to think that I was being too forward, although at the same time, I also did not want her to misunderstand my intentions. I was more than aware that all eyes were on us and that it created no small amount of pressure. I had never doubted the power or will of the Valar and I had faith in them, still it seemed strange to me that they would take Millicent out of her own world just for the sake of softening my heart. Was there perhaps another reason, beyond our initial guess, for Millicent’s presence here? She certainly had managed to soften my heart, but what next? Would she simply be sent back to her world and leave me alone again? Maggie had once been pulled out of Middle-Earth, with no knowledge of when or if she would ever return.

Having Millicent here had enriched my life in more ways than I could explain in words. I knew there was a chance she might have to return home if presented with such a choice. What would I do then? I could lock her in my dungeon and force her to stay, but that would hardly be good for the bond we had undoubtedly created. Perhaps months ago, I would have chosen a more forceful way of dealing with my emotions, but I was no longer that elf. Nor did I ever want to be that elf again. 

Yes. I had become enamored with Millicent Thomas and there was no longer a point in trying to deny it. She possessed all of my waking thoughts even when I did not realise it. I thought of the way her lips slightly tugged and created dimples in her smile. I thought about her lightly lavender scented hair and the way her eyes glimmered whenever something excited her. She was attractive, kind, intelligent and selfless. Millicent had a way with people that I envied and was able to see kindness in everyone and understand their emotions where I did not. Any man would be lucky to win her heart, but I also knew that it was not easily won. 

Even though he was dead, Millicent still loved Charlie and I could tell that a part of her did not want to let go of those emotions. Whether it was because of guilt or fear of letting go, I did not know, but at a guess I assumed it might be a combination of the two. I understood that guilt all too well and empathised with Millicent. I still loved my wife and always would, but began to realise that she would want me to be happy instead of wallowing in misery for the rest of my immortal life. Even Legolas had given me his blessing to court Millicent and Maggie had graciously agreed to help me. 

I need to be prepared for the possibility that Millicent might decline my pursuit and if she wasn’t ready, I must also accept her choices. That said, if my gut instinct was right - and it often was - my feelings were not unrequited. 

While I was grateful to have had the chance of staying in Erebor and rebuilding my relationships with Fili and his kin, it wasn’t the place for courting. Rivendell was a romantic place at the best of times and there would be much more privacy. 

Yes. Things would change in Rivendell and I looked forward to it. 

* * *

We stayed in Erebor for a few more weeks, until the beginning of February. It was a peaceful few weeks, which were spent eating delicious food and enjoying the company of friends. I was able to spend some time alone with Millicent, for which I was grateful. Some evening we stayed in the hall of fire, simply sitting quietly in each other’s company with a book or journal in one hand. Other times, we would walk along the now frozen orchard and enjoy gazing at the stars which we had done before. Each time we were alone, I wished for the courage to confess I would like to court her, but it was as though I could not find the words to speak my mind. 

Ridiculous really; an elvenking afraid to do something so simple. 

“You won’t be coming with us to Rivendell, Master Óin?” 

“Nay, someone should stay here to help ease Theo and Nat into their new roles.” 

It was a Wednesday morning, just after breakfast. We stood by the entrance of Erebor, while all our belongings had been packed and the horses ready to set off. The tone in Millicent’s voice gave away her emotions and I could tell that leaving Erebor filled her with sadness. Neither of us knew when she would return and it had been a transforming visit for both of us. 

The white-haired old dwarf grabbed Millicent’s hands as a warm smile tugged at her lips. Master Óin had a fondness for Rivendell, but felt dutybound to stay in Erebor. Meanwhile, the rest of our company consisted of Fili, Maggie, young Eira, Felix, Legolas, Gimli and Elrond. A merry company by any means and our visit in Rivendell was bound to be enjoyable. Maggie once said that Eira had never visited Rivendell before and would no doubt find it magical. 

“Don’t you worry, lass.” Óin said, “We will see each other again. Besides, you know by now that nothing delivers letters at such haste as the Erebor ravens. I will be writing to you.” 

Óin dried away the silent tears streaming down Millicent’s eyes and embraced her in a heartfelt hug. I watched as goodbyes were said amongst friends and family. 

“Try not to bring down the mountain in our absence, will you?” Maggie teased as she hugged her son. 

“Honestly  _ naneth _ ,” Theo chuckled, “Have you no faith in me? Everything will be fine, you make sure to enjoy Rivendell and  _ actually  _ relax. If that’s at all possible?” 

“Yes, alright. I will. I love you and I’m proud. Thorin would be too.” 

Maggie was right. Thorin would be proud of his son. 

Some moments later, after all final goodbyes were said and horses mounted, we set off on the journey towards Rivendell. 

The journey was smooth, though sometimes a bit arduous. I must admit, I was impressed by Eira’s patience, although she was mostly preoccupied by asking questions about every single thing she saw on the road. For her, it was the first time she’d left the kingdom, other than visiting Dale, and everything was exciting. Millicent had the same look of awe on her face as Eira as we passed through the vast and varying landscapes of Middle-Earth. 

At night, we camped where the ground was dry and the trees brought us shelter from the elements. Even though elves need sleep just like people, it was easier for us to manage without it. So, Elrond, Legolas and I took turns keeping watch in case anything unexpected were to happen. Thankfully, the journey was peaceful and eventually on one warm morning at the end of February, we arrived in Rivendell. Stepping over the familiar threshold of the Hidden Valley was like a breath of fresh air and in many ways like coming home. I used to spend many years of my youth in Rivendell with my family and Elrond’s. Those were good and happy days before the war of Sauron. For a long time, I remained certain that I would never experience such happiness again, yet here I was perhaps with what one might call a new chosen family. 

“Isn’t this a sight for sore eyes.” Felix said as we looked down on the valley below. During the quest to Mount Doom, Maggie, her brother Riley who died at Pelennor fields, Felix, Nat and their friend Laura stayed in Rivendell with the Fellowship. Unbreakable bonds had been forged in these halls and to them, it was also home. 

“Yeah,” Maggie sighed in relief, “It’s like coming home.” 

* * *

In Elrond’s absence, Rivendell had been looked after by Erestor and Glorfindel. They greeted us as we entered Elrond’s House and were all allocated chambers. Millicent’s room was in the corridor closest to the Hall of Fire and a few hours after we had settled, I found myself walking towards her room. I didn’t exactly have a plan in my head and more than anything it was my instinct leading the way. I raised my hand and gently knocked on the oakwood door. It didn’t take long before Millicent opened the door and when I noticed she was in her nightgown, with a hairbrush in one hand, red heat flushed my cheeks. 

“I’m sorry,” I apologised, “I can see I have come at a bad time.” 

“No not at all,” Millicent assured me, “I was only brushing my hair, although it’s a little tricky when these brushes aren’t like the ones I’m used to.” 

“May I help you? Us elves do have some skill with hairkeeping.” 

I do not know what in Arda came over me, but the words slipped out much quicker than I intended. I expected Millicent to decline and brush it off, leaving yet another awkward rift between us. Instead, she nodded and passed me the brush. I gestured for her to sit down on the chair by the small desk and when she did I carefully began to brush her hair. 

At first, Millicent seemed a little tense, but then she relaxed and with each stroke of the comb, she let out something that almost sounded like gentle purrs.

“You’re very good at this,” Millicent murmured 

“Hairbrushing is one of the ways in which elves show affection.” I chuckled, “I often used to brush my wife’s hair in the evenings. It was one of our favourite intimate moments.” 

Strange, I thought. It was the first time I’d thought about those memories without being filled with pain or sorrow. Now, it was a happy memory and something I was more than glad to share with Millicent. 

“Do you miss her?” Millicent asked, “You never really speak about her.”

“Every day,” I replied, “But her light lives on through my son. I see her in him every day and I know I was blessed to have spent so many years with her.” 

I placed the brush back on the desk and ran my hands through Millicent’s hair and then rested them on her shoulders. Next, I gently massaged her neck with my thumbs in small circles, moving from one side of her neck to the other as she closed her eyes. 

"What's brought this on?" Millicent asked

"Can an elf-lord not simply choose to indulge a lady after a long day?” I replied with a hint of mischief in my voice.

“An elf-lord certainly can, but this particular one rarely does anything without purpose.” Millicent teased back, “Are you trying to seduce me, Lord Thranduil?”

Millicent had meant it as a joke, but suddenly the air of the room changed. My hands stopped massaging Millicent’s shoulder and simply lingered on her collarbone.

“Would that be a terrible thing?” I asked, “Or would that make you--?”

I didn’t have a chance to finish my sentence, because before I knew Millicent had pressed her lips to mine and nearly knocked all wind from my lungs. . As she kissed me, the world fell away. It was slow and soft, comforting in ways that words would never be. I rested, my hand rested below her ear, my thumb caressing her cheek as our breaths mingled. She ran her fingers down my spine, pulling me closer until there was no space left between us and I could feel the beating of her heart against my chest. 

Then suddenly, it stopped. As if reality found its way back into this sacred moment and Millicent pulled back from me, with a horrified look on her face. 

“Oh my god!” she exclaimed, “I’m so sorry! I shouldn’t have! I don’t know what came over me!”

“Millicent, you have nothing to apologise, but --”

I took a step towards her, but as I did she backed away and I could see tears beginning to form in her eyes. 

“I have to go,” she said and before I was able to stop her she ran out of the room into the cold and dark night. 

**_To be continued…._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **_THEY KISSED!_ **
> 
> **_They weren’t meant to kiss now, but it sort of just happened. It wasn’t a terribly exciting chapter, but I hope you liked it anyway. What will happen next? Let me know what you think!_ **


	24. Fear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Millie faces her own fear...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** I’m back with another chapter and this one didn’t take ages to upload! There’s not much to say about this one, so let’s just get back into it! 

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

_ Fear _

How could I have been so careless? Out of all the things I could have done, kissing Thranduil was absolutely the worst one. Not only had I betrayed myself, but I’d also betrayed the one person I’d loved more than life itself - Charlie. I didn’t know where I was going when I ran out of the house, but I just kept going and crossed the river until I came to what seemed to be the beginning of a forest. Unlike Mirkwood, this forest was much brighter, even in the moonlight I could tell it was far more welcoming. It wasn’t as dense as Mirkwood and I got the feeling it was ancient, just like everything else in this world. 

Eventually, I stopped running to catch my breath and sank down on the grass. Hot tears streamed down my face, which was an annoying occurrence of late and an anxious knot tightened in my stomach. I hadn’t meant to kiss Thranduil, it just simply happened. One moment I sat in the chair as he brushed my hair and the next, I’d pressed my lips against his. I wish I could blame it on the magical charisma of elves, but that wasn’t it. I’d kissed Thranduil because some part of me wanted to and worst of all, that same part had also enjoyed it. 

I used to think that the only person I ever wanted to kiss was Charlie, but no matter how much I wished otherwise, he was gone. I would never truly be able to move on with my life unless I accepted that and let go. Letting go was painful and I couldn’t help but worry that if I did let go, everything Charlie and I had built together and the person he’d help me become would just fade away or cease to exist altogether. I still didn’t quite understand my purpose here in Middle-Earth. Was it to help Thranduil heal his heartache or my own? Did the Valar somehow think we were a good match because of all that we had been through? It somehow seemed too simple, but I also couldn’t just discard everything that had happened over the past few months.

“One should not stray too far from Elrond’s House,” came a new voice from somewhere behind me, “Elrond’s magic only protects our borders, but once you cross it, you become vulnerable.” 

I looked up and saw the elf known as Glorfindel approach me. When we arrived in Rivendell a few hours ago, Glorfindel had been greeted not only as a friend, but as royalty. Both Eira and I had gazed at him in awestruck wonder and Maggie later told me that he was older than Elrond and Thranduil themselves. 

“And where exactly do the borders stop and start?” I asked 

Glorfindel gestured towards an enormous Ash tree not far from us. A frustrated sigh escaped my lips and I lay back on the ground, gazing up at the stars as I had done so many nights before. Out of all the strange things in this world, the one thing that made sense was the elves’ love for starlight. It did bring me a strange amount of comfort and a few moments later, I found myself much more able to relax. I half-expected Glorfindel to have left, but not only was he still there, he sat down next to me. His long, silver robe reflected the light from the stars and illuminated him in a way that could only be described as magical. I pulled myself back up to a sitting position. 

“I would ask why you’re here, but I take it Thranduil sent you?” I guessed 

“Nay, I sent myself.” Glorfindel corrected me, “I saw you leaving the house in rather a frantic state and I thought it best to see if you were alright, as I am guessing you are not. Would you like to speak about it?” 

“I don’t mean to be rude, but you don’t know me and I can’t imagine why you’d want to hear about some stranger’s problems.” 

“Aye, perhaps, but sometimes an impartial ear can be helpful. I have time to spare and I do not mind. It is, however, your choice. If you wish to be alone, I shall leave you be and let Elrond know that you are alright.” 

“What about Thranduil? Will you also tell him where I am?” 

Glorfindel shook his head and smiled. I believed him and sensed that his concern was genuine. 

“I’ve caused quite a scene, haven’t I?” I sighed as I ran my hands through my hair, “It seems silly now, it was only a kiss.” 

“It appears to have been much more than that to have caused such a reaction in you, if you do not mind me saying so.” Glorfindel said “Do you regret the kiss you shared with Thranduil?” 

The question caught me off guard and my heart pounded loudly in my chest. Truthfully, I didn’t regret it and had welcomed it. What really scared me was not the fact that I  _ had  _ kissed Thranduil, but that I  _ enjoyed  _ it. For a long time, I’d been fighting all these new emotions and changes, slowly letting go of Charlie and accepting that he was no longer a part of my life. At least not physically, but it was frightening in more words than I could explain. I couldn’t truly allow Thranduil into my heart, on any level, unless I acknowledged that Charlie was a thing of the past and that it was alright for me to be happy. 

“No, I don’t.” I confessed “I think that’s what scares me the most. I never expected any of this to happen and I’ve tried to fight it for a long time, but I am not sure I  _ can  _ fight it anymore.” 

“Then perhaps you should not fight it at all,” Glorfindel told me 

“What if it makes everything worse, though? What if I give this a go and it all falls apart? My journey here would all have been for nothing.” 

“I do not think it will fall apart, little one. I do, however, believe that in order to move forward you must let go of the fear that holds you back. If it does, as you say, fall apart, there are people here who will catch you.” 

Glorfindel reached out his arm and pulled me back up onto my feet. He was right, of course and I knew what needed to be done. I had to speak with Thranduil and try to salvage the mess I caused before it was too late. 

* * *

It took me a few moments to compose myself and gain enough courage to find Thranduil’s chambers when I returned to Elrond’s House. I thanked Glorfindel for his much needed words of advice and decided it was time to face my fear. I prepared myself for the possibility that Thranduil might not want to speak with me at all and that I had sullied any chances of explaining myself. After all, he was the king of Mirkwood and even though he was a changed elf, I had a feeling that famed temper was still buried inside him somewhere.

“You can do this, Millie.” I whispered to myself “Have courage.” 

I knocked on the door three times and a short while later, Thranduil’s familiar voice told me to enter. I carefully pushed the door open and stood in the doorway without saying anything for a while. Thranduil sat by the desk in the corner of the room, dipped a quill into some ink and scribbled away on a bit of parchment. I wondered what he was writing and to whom, but decided to save those questions for later. 

“I was wondering if I could speak with you,” I said “But if you’re busy I can always come back.” 

The king of Mirkwood stopped writing mid-sentence and gently placed the quill beside him. Then, he got up from the seat and turned towards me. If he was angry, I couldn’t tell from his expression, because if anything it showed worry and concern. Thranduil slowly walked towards me, as if he was worried I might run away again if he made any rash movements. Then, he saw my hands which were red from cold air outside and he carefully grabbed them.

“Your hands are freezing,” he said “Are you alright?”

I nodded and followed Thranduil as he gestured for me to sit on the bed while he sat on the chair by his desk. I wasn’t sure what to say or where to begin, but somehow I knew that if I wasn’t honest about how I felt now, I might not get another chance to say anything. 

“I’m sorry for running away like that,” I apologised “Especially as I was the one who kissed you. I became overwhelmed and scared.” 

“Because of Charlie?” Thranduil wondered, “I understand why, you still love him.” 

“In one way, yes. I’ll always love him and he’ll always have a place in my heart. That’s not why I’m scared, though.” 

Thranduil’s expression changed from worried to puzzled as I searched for the right words to use. 

“I have feelings for you.” I finally confessed, “I have no idea what that means yet or when they even began. I’m scared because all of this is new to me and I don’t know what will happen, at the very least because you’re an elf and I’m human. I won’t live as long as you do.” 

I’m not sure what kind of reaction I expected from Thranduil, but I watched as he walked over to the window, crossed his arms and sighed. At least a part of me thought he would have been happy that I confessed how I felt, because I’d been sure he felt the same way. Had I been wrong along and severely misread the whole situation? 

“Yes, I have also considered that,” Thranduil said “While it is a discussion to have in more detail, it does not scare me.” 

Thranduil walked back to the bed and this time sat next to me. He placed his hand on mine and I once against felt my heart beating loud. 

“Your feelings are not unrequited,” he confessed “Ever since you first arrived in Middle-Earth, I have tried to push you away because I thought there was no space in my life for anyone. Yet, somehow, you found a way into my life and the more time I spend with you, the more I realise how important you have become to me. Truthfully, since Erebor I have tried to find the right occasion to tell you and then when you kissed me, it caught me by surprise as well.”   


I listened to Thranduil’s words and tried to contain the feelings bubbling inside me. 

“What I am trying to say is this,” Thranduil continued, “Millicent Thomas, I would like nothing more than to court you. Properly and according to elvish customs, but only if you are comfortable and happy in doing--” 

I interrupted Thranduil by placing a kiss on his lips, except this time I had no regrets and I knew this was exactly where I was meant to me. 

“Yes, I would love for you to court me.” I agreed, “Although I have to admit that I am not entirely sure what that entails.” 

“You will find out in due time,” Thranduil assured me, “Come, let us share the good news with everyone else.” 

I wondered what Charlie would say if he could see me now. Never in a million years would I have thought that an eleven king might want to court me. Or that I would be happy with it and I hoped with all my heart that wherever Charlie was, he was happy for me. 

* * *

We spent the rest of that night in the Great Hall with everyone else. I was nervous to reveal the news, but once we told the others that Thranduil had asked if he could court me and that I had accepted, there was more than enough reason to celebrate. For the first time in a long while, I felt truly happy in a way that I had never been since Charlie died. Sure, I had a life in London with a job, an apartment and some friends, but it wasn’t the same. 

Over the next few days, I was more relaxed than I had previously been. I was able to enjoy spending time in Rivendell, which was a more magical place than I had ever imagined. During the days, I either spent time with Maggie, Felix and Legolas, while Eira played with Fili who truly seemed to be enjoying the freedom of the Hidden Valley. At night, I spent time with Thranduil whose mood had improved greatly and he even laughed more frequently than I had ever heard him. 

Winter came and went. Before long, spring approached Rivendell. Slowly but surely, the snow covered trees began to melt and the skies were filled with echoing birdsong. One afternoon, when the sun blessed us with its presence and all snow had melted, I sat outside with Maggie next to me and Eira on my lap. On the grass in front of us, Fili had been practicing sword combat with first Gimli and then Felix, who were both rather good. Not that I had anything to compare it with. 

“Millicent, I am not sure if Maggie has informed you of the rules in sparring,” Glorfindel began as he joined us “But it is customary for a lady to offer a token to her combatant of choice, it brings good luck in his favour.” 

“Oh this brings back memories.” Maggie mused and nudged me, “If I were you, I’d pick carefully.”   


“Particularly as Elrond gets jealous and is a sore loser.” Fili teased 

“Some things do not change over the years, it would seem.” Thranduil chuckled 

They were split up into two teams. Elrond and Felix versus Thranduil and Fili, which to me seemed a somewhat unfair advantage. I considered my choices carefully until I eventually placed a kiss on Thranduil’s cheek and I felt acutely aware that all eyes were on me. Unlike before, I didn’t mind the attention. Glorfindel had taken on the role of referee and when he gave the sign, the sparring began. The only other time I had seen something similar was in Erebor, during the Yuletide events, but this was different. Watching the different techniques between the elves and Fili and Felix was fascinating. Being a dwarf, Fili was naturally quick on his feet and I guessed he had a century or so of experience under his belt. Felix, being human, was the youngest out of the lot and as he was from mine and Maggie’s world, I figured sword fighting wasn’t something he learned as a child. Still, he must have picked up a lot of practice during his year in Middle Earth and on occasion managed to thwart Fili. 

“I’m sorry to interrupt,” came Erestor’s voice from behind us. “Ladies, you have a visitor.” 

“A visitor?” Maggie asked “For both of us?” 

Erestor nodded and I turned to Maggie who seemed equally confused. We followed Erestor back up the stairs leading up to the house and when we reached the top, Maggie grabbed my hand. Something had caught her eye and just as I was about to ask her what she’d seen, she gestured towards the bench on the veranda. An old man wearing white robes and long white hair sat on the wooden bench. In one hand he clung onto a walking staff of some kind and in another hand he held a pipe. Every time he inhaled the tobacco from his pipe, he exhaled enormous smoke rings, but that wasn’t what surprised me the most. 

I knew that face. I had seen it so many times before, but in a different setting and in entirely different clothes. Even though the evidence was right in front of me, I couldn’t believe it. 

“Mr Grayham?” I gasped “What on Earth….how…..?” 

“ _ Grayham _ ?” Maggie asked “That’s not Mr Grayham, that’s….oh….” 

Then it dawned on me. In fact, both Maggie and I had the same revelation, but I was the one who spoke first. 

“You’re Gandalf, aren’t you?” 

**_To be continued…._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **_DUN DUN DUN! Gandalf appears just as Millie and Thranduil figure things out! What does it mean? What will happen?_ **

**Author's Note:**

> **  
> _There we go! A new fic! Very different from what I usually write, so we’ll see how this one goes! I have half a mind to potentially make this a crossover with my other fics, hence having it as a part of the same series but you can absolutely read it as a total standalone. Please let me know what you think and leave a comment/kudos/a review. Thanks a bunch_  
>  **


End file.
